Trials of a Champion

by Thomas O'Gorman

  “Maybe you are right.”

  Jaunty and Winn ate a quick breakfast and the group struck camp and started the last part of the journey to Isa. They had been going up gentle slopes that were gradually increasing in grade, but today the road was very steep as they were entering the Ioke Mountains. They eventually came to a flat area. There was a livery, a hostel, and some other buildings on each side of the trail. A middle-aged woman came up to the head of the party and spoke with the vizier.

  “Hello, I am Kira. May I ask what your destination is?”

  “Kira, I am the vizier, and our destination is Isa. We wish to speak to the oracle.”

  “Then you have come to the right place. Oh, your party is so big. We can only allow twenty at a time to go to Isa. It is a small village and any more than that would stretch our resources.”

  “The rest of the party can stay down here?” The vizier asked.

  “Yes of course. The hostel will hold fifty and it is empty now. The rest will have to camp.

  “That is fine.”

  “Whenever you are ready, I will lead your party up the mountain trail to Isa. No horses on the trail, it is too steep for them.”

  The vizier consulted with the diamyos, and it was decided that the vizier would bring 2 attendants, the diamyo’s one attendant each, and Winn, Jaunty, and Ni would round out the party. Once they were ready Kira led them up the trail. It took them two hours to climb it because it was so steep in some places. When they reached the end, they came to another flat place that looked like a shelf that was hanging out over the mountain. On it were several huts, gardens, and livestock pens. On the far edge of the shelf was an ancient looking stone building that extended past the shelf and partially hung suspended in air. The building was the largest one in the village. It was three stories tall and was round. It was widest in the middle and tapered in towards the top and the bottom.

  “Looks like an egg,” Jaunty said. “Not typical Xi En architecture.

  “No, it isn’t typical,” Kira said, overhearing Jaunty. “It is an ancient tomb of Izori. Since Izori isn’t around to worship any longer, the oracle put it to another use. It is time for lunch. Follow me.”

  They followed Kira to a space where five Xi En style tables were set up. Rugs and cushions were provided for sitting. Winn and Jaunty sat at one of the tables. Oda Tadanao and his daughter Satomi sat with them.

  “Satomi, I didn’t realize you came with us,” Winn said.

  “That is because you were at the front and didn’t look behind you the whole way,” Satomi said. “Papa brought me because I asked him if I could go. I assured him I would take care of his needs.”

  “You better young lady,” Oda said. “I am to old to fend for myself. Thank the Almighty we made it here. Such an arduous journey. Now that we are here, can you finally tell us why you had to come to see the oracle, Ichi?”

  “Since we are here a little hint wouldn’t hurt,” Winn said. Jaunty looked at him in askance but Winn smiled and continued. “I am very confused about what my next move should be. My wife is Queen of Aviel, and it is about to be attacked, so part of me thinks I should go help her. The country of my mother is under siege now, and part of me feels like I should go help them. I just became Ichi, and that office requires me to stay here. Lastly the Menegar King captured me and had a hand in an attack on my wife in which my daughter was killed. I really want to go kill him. I need the oracle’s guidance on which path I should take.”

  “Sometimes she speaks in riddles,” Oda said. “You might be just as confused after she speaks to you, if she will at all.”

  “What do you mean?” Jaunty asked.

  “You don’t approach the oracle, she calls out to you,” Satomi said. “Many people have made the journey here a number of times, and the oracle has not heard them.”

  “No one told me that,” Winn said. “If she doesn’t speak to me than all this has been a horrible waste of time, and my last hope is gone.”

  “Don’t worry Winn,” Jaunty said. “Abigail wouldn’t have sent us here if she didn’t think the oracle would grant us an audience.”

  “Who is Abigail, and why would she know what the oracle would do?” Satomi asked.

  “Um, she is a wise woman, and has seen the oracle before,” Jaunty stammered.

  No one spoke for a moment after that and lunch was served. During lunch Oda talked with Winn about the different areas of Xi En and which diamyos produced what type of goods. They also talked about world events, primarily the Menegar invasion. Jaunty and Satomi spoke of lighter things like trees, wildlife, and horses. She loved horses and Jaunty was an expert horse trainer. Lunch ended and everyone milled about. Jaunty was occupied with Satomi so Winn found a place to sit.

  Shortly after Ni came to sit down beside him. They started talking about Pho Ren and the different moves, and Winn mentioned he had not gone through his Pho Ren exercises in more than a week. Ni suggested they do just that, and Winn agreed. They went to an open area and prepared to practice. Winn had never exercised or practiced moves with anyone as accomplished as Ni, except Master Chen. It made him concentrate hard to hit the positions just right, because Ni was, and he didn’t want Ni to show him up. Pretty soon a crowd gathered to watch Winn and Ni. The moves were graceful yet violent. A controlled fury. They mirrored one another perfectly as they progressed through the moves of Pho Ren. When they finished, they bowed to each other and the crowd started clapping.

  Someone in the crowd yelled, “Fight!” The yell was taken up by others. Ni turned to Winn.

  “How about some sparring to appease the crowd?” Ni asked.

  “Ok. I’ll go easy on you,” Winn said.

  They each stepped back and bowed to each other. The crowd of villagers cheered. Winn decided to let Ni make the first move. He didn’t have to wait long. Ni launched himself forward with a flying front kick. Winn stepped to the side and Ni twisted in the air and made is front kick a round kick. Winn barely ducked in time. He popped back up and Ni threw a combination punch that hit Winn in the ribs. The punch was hard, and Winn hopped back then threw his own round kick. Ni avoided it and flew in with a neck punch. Winn blocked and countered with a front kick. The kick caught Ni’s side and spun him around. Winn threw a punch to Ni’s head but as Ni spun around, he grabbed Winn’s wrist so fast it was like a snake striking and threw wind on the ground. Winn’s face turned red. The only person who had ever thrown him was Master Chen. Winn popped back up and anger contorted his face. He threw caution to the wind and was going for a knockout blow but then a voice rang out.

  “The oracle is ready to see you!” Kira shouted. “Please come to the temple at once!”

  Ni smiled and bowed to Winn. Winn growled and bowed back. They both started walking to the old temple.

  “I surprised you with that throw,” Ni said.

  “You are lucky she stopped us.” Winn said.

  They reached the temple and two bald men in yellow robes with red sashes were holding the doors open. They entered a room that was like a large theater. It was round and on the top and all the way down was seating that went all around the room. At the bottom was a flat circle with flower petals strewn across it. The ceiling looked like a dome and at the very top there was a hole. Sunlight was streaming through it. The sunlight was much brighter than the candles in scones on the walls of the room. An attendant directed Ni to a seat near the top and Winn to the very first row. Jaunty was already there. Winn sat down and after the rest of the audience was seated, the room became quiet.

  In a few moments Kira appeared and walked on the stage.

  “Seekers and friends, I now present you with, the oracle.”

  In the center of the stage an old lady started emerging from a hole. Her hair was white. She was Xi En, but pale. She had on a kimono of many colors. Red, green, yellow, blue, purple, and pink. She stood with a cane in her hand and she looked to be quite short. When she fully emerged from the hole, she took a step forward and surveyed the room.

/>   “My eyes tell me the vizier and diamyos are with me this day, and that all of the power, glory, and future of Xi En is here, embodied in them. Eyes can be deceiving. For the spirit tells me the two most important men of Xi En and Arath are here, but they are not among the vizier or diamyos. More on that later. I will speak to four this day, and four only. When I call your name, come down to the stage to hear my words. First, I would speak with the vizier.”

  The vizier made his way down the stairs and walked on to the stage. The oracle started talking to him, but Winn and Jaunty couldn’t hear even a sound. Satomi was seated behind them.

  “The oracle can put a wall of silence up when she doesn’t want to be heard,” Satomi leaned over and told them. “It is one of her powers.”

  After a few minutes the vizier bowed to the oracle and left the stage. The wall of silence must have been removed, because when she spoke next everyone could hear her.

  “Satomi Tadanao, I would speak with you.”

  Satomi gasped. “I have never spoken with the oracle before.”

  Satomi went on stage and another curtain of silence must have descended because Winn and Jaunty couldn’t hear what she said to Satomi. They could see that Satomi started crying and she kept stealing glances at Jaunty. She laughed some and she cried some more, but she came out smiling. Jaunty tried to get her to look at him but she avoided looking his way.

  “Jaunty Chen, come forward,” the oracle said. “I need to have a word with you.”

  Jaunty had a look of shock on his face. Winn had to give him a nudge to get up. He slowly walked on stage. Winn was shocked because when they started talking, he could hear them.

  “How are you Jaunty?”

  “Fine ma’am.”

  “Good. You might want to brace yourself because I am going to give you some shocking news.”

  “OK.”

  “Do you know who the last emperor of Xi En was?”

  “Yes, Zen Feng”

  “Did you know that you are related to him?”

  “No, how?”

  “You are his grandson.”

  “What? Surely my father would have told me!”

  “Your father was his son. Master Chen fled Xi En when his wife was pregnant with your sister, May Kai. Although, when your mother learned of the pregnancy, she was promised to your uncle. Your uncle found out about the pregnancy, and knew the baby was not his, and so was angry. He tried to kill your mother, but your father saved her. Your father abdicated his rights to the throne and fled the country with your mother.”

  “What happened to my uncle?”

  He died not too long after that in a hunting accident. Foul play was suspected but not proven. His death and your father’s abdication left no heirs to the throne, that is, until you were born.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, your real last name is Feng, not Chen, and you are the rightful heir to be emperor of Xi En.”

  “What about the abdication by my father?”

  “That affects him only, not his offspring.” She turned to the crowd. “The next emperor has been among you and you did not know it. Bow to your emperor.”

  To Jaunty’s shock and dread, everyone in the room bowed to him. He didn’t know what to do so he walked off stage and sat down.

  The crowd in the room was buzzing until the oracle raised her hand. The audience fell silent.

  “Lest you forget I have one final blessing to give. Winn Vaux please come forward.”

  Winn approached the stage.

  “Ah, I can feel the Almighty’s hand upon you, but I can also feel the foul touch of Jezel and the evil ones. Poor dear, you must be tormented.”

  “Yes, that is a fair statement.”

  “As one touched soul to another, I must tell you that I have been looking forward to this day.”

  “You have been wanting to meet me?”

  “Of course, dear. I have never met another Almighty touched before. You aren’t what I expected.”

  “How is that?”

  “I expected a giant, magical air that causes people to swoon. Instead, I find a young man with such inner strength he can withstand an attack from evil itself.”

  “I don’t think I withstood it well. It has left me not knowing anything for sure.”

  “Hopefully that will change in a moment. Before I proceed, what would you know of me?”

  Winn wiped away a tear. “Sarah, I want to know of Sarah. Has she been true? Does she love me?”

  “Boy, that spell really did a number on you. Sarah has been unfailingly true to you. She loves you deeply and wholeheartedly.”

  “Then everything else will work out,” Winn said through his tears.

  “Let’s hope this works, then it will. Its been a pleasure, Winn Vaux.”

  She reached out her hand and put it on Winn’s head. She started speaking in a tongue that Winn had never heard. A wind started blowing inside the building, swirling around violently. The audience had to hold on to their clothes, hats, and each other to keep from being yanked from their seats. A darkness started covering the oracle’s hand, then her arm. It spread all over her body, then finally to her face. She started screaming words and shrieking between them. Suddenly she exploded into dust and the wind blew the dust around the room. The wind subsided, and Winn blacked out.

  Jaunty rushed onto the stage and slid down beside Winn. He shook his friend gently, trying to coax him awake. In a moment Winn opened his eyes. He looked at Jaunty then looked around at the stunned group in the room.

  “I remember now,” Winn said.

  Chapter 24: Onslaught

  October 10, 850 A.A.

  Torvee was shivering even though she had her thickest furs on. The first cold spell and blizzard of the season had hit a few days before and now a light snow was falling. She was at the stables waiting on Siggy, who asked her to meet him there in a note she received the night before. The stable hands were saddling her horse when Siggy arrived at the stables. He gave her a large Skalish military parka and bade her to put it on. She did not protest and put it on, but she wondered why he wanted her to wear it.

  “Some of the Skalish and Avish forces are doing some joint exercises outside of the walls today,” Siggy said. “I am surprised your uncle let them go outside of the city, but then again the troops have been getting restless. Your cousin is leading the Avish group.”

  Torvee thought from the way that Tiga had been acting lately that she was getting more and more comfortable in her role as a captain. The men never gave her any trouble because of who her brother was. It wasn’t enough for Tiga, though. She wanted to earn her own respect. Siggy told her respect was mainly earned in battle. For all their sakes, Torvee hoped Tiga didn’t get a chance to prove herself anytime soon.

  “These parkas are to help us blend in with the troops,” Siggy continued. “They are leaving at any minute, so let’s hurry up and get positioned by the gate.”

  “We are going outside the walls? How exciting!” Torvee said. “Where exactly are you going to take me?”

  “It’s a surprise. You will see soon enough.”

  “I don’t like surprises unless they are especially good ones.”

  “You will like this one.”

  Their horses were ready, and they mounted them and rode out toward the gate. Siggy put the hood of the parka over his head and motioned for Torvee to do the same. Torvee was worried her hair would be made a mess, but she did it anyway. They rode up on the rear of the Skalish formation and rode out of the city behind them with no one being the wiser.

  As soon as they were outside of the city they made for the west. Torvee could see the big lone mountain that dominated the skyline and it seemed like they were riding toward it.

  “Are we going toward that mountain?” Torvee asked. “What is it called again, Crystal Mountain?”

  “Yes, and yes. You said a week or two ago that you had never been to Crystal Mountain, and I thought as soon as I got the chance, I would take you.”

/>   “What is so special about it?”

  “Like its name implies, the mountain has rich deposits of different types of crystal. Mostly there is rock crystal or quartz, but there are other colors too. Actually, Crystal Mountain has the biggest deposit of amethyst in the world.”

  “It hasn’t been all mined out?”

  “You will see. Come on, less talking and more riding!” Siggy urged his horse to take off running and Torvee gave chase. She caught up with him and they laughed. They rode for twenty minutes to get to the base of the mountain.

  “On the other side of the mountain there is a mine. It was active until King Arkyn evacuated most everyone to Aggenburg. I have never been in the mine, but they say it is vast. It produced a thousand pounds of pure quarts a day.”

  “If you aren’t taking me to the mine, where are you taking me?”

  “Higher.”

  They found a trail that led up the mountain and they rode slowly up it for about twenty minutes until they came to a spot that had an amazing overlook of the city and the lands around it.

  “Apart from the peak of the mountain this is the best view of Trellheim,” Siggy said.

  “It is breathtaking,” Torvee said.

  “They say watching the sunrise or the sunset from here is something to behold. I would be afraid of coming up that trail in the dark, though.”

  “I am sure that a sunset would be beautiful, but this view is good enough for me. Thank you for bringing me up here.”

  “Oh, I have something else to show you. This was just a bonus.”

  They walked their horses up the rest of the way because the trail was steep. After another ten minutes of walking the trail split into. Siggy led Torvee down the left side of the trail, and it meandered for another 10 minutes then it ended at a large crevasse in the mountain. Siggy and Torvee dismounted and tied their horses to a lone tree by the trail. There was a metal plaque affixed on the outside of the mountain by the opening. Torvee read it.

  BY ROYAL PROCLIMATION: On pain of death It is forbidden to remove any gem or stone from the formation found in this cave.