Augury Answered

by Phillip Murrell

  “There it is,” Swift Shot said, a bit louder than she should have.

  Two Dogs snapped his head in her direction. “You’ve got a plan.”

  Swift Shot smiled and held up a jug. “Yeah, we finish my corn ferm. It’s finally ready.”

  Two Dogs snorted out laughter. Swift Shot joined him. She muffled her mouth; he bit the webbing between his thumb and finger to keep from laughing. Eventually they recovered.

  “You hid your homemade ferm in Faida’s longhouse?” Two Dogs asked.

  Swift Shot smiled devilishly. “Nobody would have thought to look here. Besides, she had a lot of holy ferm to sample.”

  Two Dogs lost himself to another bout of the giggles. He envisioned Swift Shot sampling all the fruit ferms. How Faida never found out was beyond him.

  Two Dogs stared at the pitcher in Swift Shot’s hand and raised an eyebrow. She grabbed a cup and filled it to the absolute top. She handed the corn ferm to Two Dogs, then drank straight from the jug. Two Dogs accepted his cup and tasted Swift Shot’s latest recipe.

  It was amazing! It was possibly the best corn ferm he’d ever drank. Granted, knowing it was probably the last corn ferm he’d have combined with the fact he hadn’t had any proper corn ferm in weeks meant it was a low bar to hurdle. Two Dogs leaned back his head and briefly closed his eyes while the liquid burned his tongue. He passed his cup back to Swift Shot. She re-filled his mug, then flipped the pitcher.

  “Back to reality,” Swift Shot said.

  Two Dogs nodded solemnly as he sipped his second cup of corn ferm. He looked back outside from his concealment. He didn’t see any new Corlains, but his view was limited to about ten yards on either side of the road. He heard Corlains shouting commands. Men and women grunted as they moved heavy equipment. Horses clopped and whinnied. Two Dogs hated the anticipation. He wanted to charge them and get it over with. The only thing that kept him from following his instinct was his exhaustion. For every second the Corlains waited to attack, he’d be able to kill one more. He’d give them all the time they wanted. Taking a break until the next morning would be ideal, but something told him he was probably only going to get a few more minutes.

  “Two Dogs, I’ve got Corlains again,” Swift Shot said.

  Two Dogs crawled over to her position. She moved to the side, and he looked through the opening. Dozens of Corlains moved on the road in front of Faida’s hut. They had muskets and aimed them at Two Dogs’ hiding spot. He jerked back. The sound of Corlains moving around them sounded from his old position. Two Dogs crawled back, bumping into Ancestors’ Hand in the process. Corlains assembled there as well. One Corlain stood out. His helmet had a blue decoration on top. The other Corlains seemed to defer to his command. Two Dogs knew this man had to die before he did.

  “Ancestors’ Hand, we could use more spirits right about now,” Two Dogs said.

  Ancestors’ Hand continued to ignore him.

  “Leave her alone, I’ve got an idea,” Swift Shot said.

  “Please tell,” Two Dogs said.

  “It’s better if I show,” Swift Shot replied with a wink.

  From outside, the blue-helmeted man spoke. “Namerians! We know you’re in there! Surrender! We didn’t give this option to your Vikisote allies!”

  Two Dogs clenched his fists. Despite still feeling tired, that word still incited him to action. Only Swift Shot placing a calming hand on his shoulder held him in place. He could feel his power slowly returning. Apparently, hatred sped up the process.

  “You didn’t give my tribe the option to surrender!” Two Dogs shouted.

  The blue-helmeted man looked to the closest Corlains standing by him. None seemed to have an answer to what Two Dogs was talking about. This pissed him off more. How could they forget the slaughter of an entire people in just a few weeks? The black cloud on their shoulder identified them as belonging to the same unit.

  “Who am I speaking with? Which Namerian tribe do you belong to?” the blue-helmeted Corlain officer asked.

  “Calm down,” Swift Shot whispered. “I’ve got an opening above us.”

  Two Dogs still wasn’t sure what her plan was, but he’d listen to his friend. He barely registered his exhaustion anymore. He’d summon all his magic to his speed and thrust his spear straight through the man’s neck.

  “I’m Two Dogs of the Lacreechee tribe!”

  “I see,” the officer said. “You isolated Namerians have always been especially troublesome. You refuse to accept the order of things and attack without warning. Why would you expect mercy from us?”

  Two Dogs clutched his spear tighter. Lacreechee only fought to defend their land. The Corlains stole igsidian at every opportunity. This man was the lowest of human beings.

  “You know my name!” Two Dogs shouted. “Who are you?”

  “I’m General Githinji of the Black Cloud Division. You’re either my prisoners or the last to fall today. You have five minutes to decide which you’d prefer to be!”

  “I have a better idea. Why don’t you face me as Mother Turklyo would like?”

  “Your heathen goddess means nothing to me. Your challenge reeks of desperation. I’ve massed my forces; I won’t allow vanity to rob me of a victory.”

  Two Dogs looked at Swift Shot and shrugged. “It was worth a shot.”

  “He dies,” Swift Shot said. It was a statement, not a wish. “I’ll give you the diversion you need. Make sure that man chokes on his last words.”

  Two Dogs gripped his spear tighter. He glanced at Ancestors’ Hand. The old hag was still concentrating. Hopefully she was ready because he and Swift Shot weren’t waiting any longer.

  Swift Shot maneuvered inside the limited space of their protection. She aimed an arrow at a cannonball-sized hole in the ceiling, then pulled as far back on the string as her taut muscles would allow.

  “Three minutes!” Githinji shouted.

  Swift Shot released her arrow. It flew out the hole in the roof and continued high into the sky. Two Dogs was about to question Swift Shot when he heard the crack of thunder. A slow smile spread across Swift Shot’s face. Soon, Two Dogs had one that matched. Ancestors’ Hand didn’t react.

  Outside, the Corlains stared as the clouds darkened above them. It began to rain. The rain immediately transformed into a full downpour. The Corlains seemed perplexed, then screams slowly permeated their ranks.

  The cannon soldiers in clothes versus armor screamed and clawed at themselves. The armored Corlains scanned their less-armored brethren and looked back at each other, but Two Dogs focused on their armor. It would take a long time, but the initial stages of corrosion were evident.

  “I might have created a tiny, little . . . chemical-rain thunderstorm,” Swift Shot said. “Give me some room to work. Once I have them panicked, get that bastard who killed our people.”

  Swift Shot fired an arrow out her hole, then shot another outside Two Dogs’ hole. Both arrows were charged with electricity. Both Corlains were hit in their hearts and died, but magical lightning then arced throughout the wet formation of Corlains. Many fell over and twitched. Those closest to the men pierced by arrows died, but the Corlain enchanted armor meant the magic lost effectiveness after two or three people.

  Two Dogs erected a magical barrier above them. He would have added sides to their magical fortress, but he wasn’t strong enough. His anger consumed him. He wanted Githinji to die, which meant he needed to save his stamina.

  Swift Shot continued to fire arrows of every type of elemental magic. Two Dogs could see she wouldn’t be able to keep it up for long. She gave him his window; he had to take it.

  Two Dogs let out a war cry as he increased his strength. Corlains fired their muskets into the debris he hid in. Two Dogs clenched his left fist and smashed through the wall. Stone and peat flew outward. Two Dogs increased his speed and added protection around himself. Githinji had several Corlains around him. That suited Two Dogs just fine.

  Two Dogs launched himself at the first Corlain aiming a m
usket at him. He stabbed the man through the chest with the spear in his left hand. He used the tomahawk in his right hand to hook the musket and aim it away from him. The dying Corlain fired his weapon; the musket ball shattered the kneecap of the Corlain on his left.

  Orange flashed all around Two Dogs. He took a knee as Corlains stabbed into his weakening barrier. He swung his spear in a wide arc and tripped many of them. He rolled across their bodies as he sliced throats. An explosion of lava landed near Two Dogs. He looked trapped inside an orange sphere for several seconds as he moved away from the burning Corlains. Swift Shot was keeping many of them away from him, but her shots were coming slower and slower. The acid rain had stopped. Swift Shot apparently decided to hit the drenched Corlains with frost-charged arrows.

  “You are tiresome, Namerian,” Githinji said.

  His voice had nothing but malice. Two Dogs understood. He felt the same way for the man primarily responsible for the death of his friends and family.

  “Fortunately, you’re also tired,” Githinji mocked.

  He stood before Two Dogs with his sword held in salute. Two Dogs placed his tomahawk back into his belt and twirled his spear. Dozens of Corlains stood behind their general. Two Dogs charged Githinji. Githinji fell prone to the ground. The first rank of Corlains fired their muskets. Two Dogs flashed orange as his magic intercepted the musket balls.

  Githinji stood and swung at Two Dogs with a sweeping slash. Two Dogs got his spear in the way, but Githinji easily broke the weapon in half. Two Dogs stared at the two halves of his weapon. Each end still had an igsidian blade. He nearly neglected to block a pair of followup swings from Githinji.

  Two Dogs swung wildly at Githinji. He had to reduce some of his speed to keep his magical armor up. He forced Githinji back but wasn’t able to land anything more than a glancing blow. Githinji retreated several steps. Two Dogs held both hands in front of him as the first of three volleys of musket fire slammed into him. One ball broke through his barrier and grazed his left arm. A slow trickle of blood traveled down his limb. He dropped the half of his spear held in that hand.

  Two Dogs threw the half of his spear in his right hand. It flew wobbly. Githinji batted it from the air. Before Two Dogs could draw his knife and tomahawk, another rank of Corlains fired their muskets. Two Dogs was spared any further injury. He breathed heavily and was forced to direct all his magic into protection. He only had to get this last target, then he could see his family again.

  Two Dogs hadn’t been paying attention to his surroundings. Now that mistake was evident. He’d assumed the Corlains were firing and reloading their muskets. He knew they had multiple ranks, but that was to give the first rank time to reload and start the process over. It may have been the tactic in the past, but it apparently wasn’t Githinji’s plan this time. Each rank had fired and moved to the side. The last volley had been different soldiers than the first. Two Dogs fell to his knees as the reason became obvious. Staring him down was a cannon with a lit fuse.

  Time seemed to slow as the cannonball flew at him. His vision filled with orange as the last of his magic surged in front of him. Two Dogs felt his body lift from the ground and fly backward. He crashed back inside the remnants of Faida’s home.

  Swift Shot fired an arrow back toward the cannon. The opening had a block of ice wedged inside. The Corlains returned fire with their muskets. One round hit Swift Shot in the last two fingers on her left hand. The fingers fell free as the bow snapped in half.

  Swift Shot screamed as she cauterized the stubs on her left hand.

  “You bastards can’t kill me!” Swift Shot screamed in pain. “You keep trying, but no Corlain can kill me!”

  Two Dogs was barely conscious. He hyperventilated again. It felt like he was drowning. It was a terrible feeling, but losing his magic that usually filled him was even more terrifying. He was disconnected from Mother Turklyo. Even worse, Githinji still lived. Any moment now, he would come in and kill the three of them. Two Dogs would die, and Mother Turklyo wouldn’t accept him home!

  “Run,” Ancestors’ Hand said.

  “What?” Swift Shot asked.

  Ancestors’ Hand hadn’t reacted to anything for some time. Two Dogs hadn’t expected her to ever be ready with whatever magic she’d prepared.

  “Run north of here. Meet up with the Vikisotes. I’ll provide the distraction,” Ancestors’ Hand said.

  She was serene. Her attitude contrasted that of both Two Dogs and Swift Shot. They wouldn’t make it ten steps before being cut down, yet Ancestors’ Hand was adamant they could survive.

  Yellow smoke spilled in from the openings within their barely existing cover. The Corlains outside shouted their concern. Officers commanded their soldiers to prepare for more spirit warriors. Two Dogs expected to hear combat, but all he heard was preparation.

  “Swift Shot, get him out of here. He is the chosen one. He can’t fall here,” Ancestors’ Hand said.

  “What are you going—”

  “Get him out of here!”

  Ancestors’ Hand’s voice ended any further protest from Swift Shot. She grabbed Two Dogs and threw him over her shoulders. His exhaustion began to overwhelm him. He closed his eyes, then opened them. He and Swift Shot were no longer with Ancestors’ Hand. They were outside Faida’s demolished hut. Swift Shot held him tightly as she ran north. Filling the surrounding air was a yellow smoke that resembled Ancestors’ Hand’s summoning magic, but there weren’t any spirit warriors in it. It was just a thick haze. It obscured the Corlains’ vision, but few seemed to be looking for people. They kept expecting another magical fight. Some retreated, like Githinji, but the junior soldiers held their weapons at the ready.

  Swift Shot breathed heavily as she finally cleared the yellow smoke. Musket fire began to ring through the air, but it wasn’t targeted at them. Two Dogs thought he heard Ancestors’ Hand scream. Then, a wave of magical energy erupted from the epicenter that used to be Ancestors’ Hand. The Corlains caught in the blast simply fell in place. They crumpled as if the life inside them had been snuffed. It reminded Two Dogs of what Ancestors’ Hand had done to Hafoca.

  “Is that possible?” Swift Shot asked as she tried to catch her breath. “Did she send their souls to the spirit world?”

  Two Dogs didn’t answer. He closed his eyes, then did nothing but sleep.

  chapter 18

  Githinji pushed Zoya and the other three soldiers shielding him off his body. His instincts had told him to move away from the ambush the yellow smoke indicated. It wouldn’t have done to have had him in the middle of a ghost army. The smoke had been different this time than earlier in the battle. It never took shape. The uncertainty that brought forced him to retreat and consider the battlefield. His soldiers had been brave. Many stayed and waited. It had cost them.

  Githinji remembered the battlefield before him. The yellow smoke had become denser for several minutes. Eventually, something flashed within it. Githinji had been clear of the smoke by that point. He heard bodies falling to the ground. The clatter they made guaranteed they were Corlains wearing plate armor. That’s when Zoya and others forced him to the ground and covered him. It touched him that they would willingly sacrifice themselves to save him, but it was unnecessary. They were safe from whatever savage magic the Namerians had used.

  Once the flash filled the yellow smoke, it quickly dissipated. Githinji dusted himself off as he looked more closely at the effects. There was only death for at least fifty meters surrounding the pitiful sanctuary the Namerians had held up in. All the Corlains within that perimeter were on the ground. None moved.

  “Look for survivors!” Githinji shouted.

  His soldiers moved forward with precision. They scattered to check if any of the remaining soldiers had a pulse.

  “He’s still alive!” someone shouted.

  “She is too!” another more hopeful voice sounded.

  “Both of these guys made it!” a third person said.

  Githinji scrunched his face and
mouthed what? He took off his helmet and stared at Zoya. She also removed her helmet and gave him the same blank face he must have had. All around them Corlains shouted in exuberance that the soldiers they found were still alive. However, another common feature remained. None of them responded to their excited companions.

  “Are any of them conscious?” Githinji shouted.

  As he feared, he got silence as an answer.

  “What is this?” Zoya asked.

  “I don’t know. Sleep magic?” Githinji said.

  “Perhaps,” Zoya said, rubbing her helmet. “I didn’t see many Namerians. There might have only been two.”

  “I think there had to have been at least a third. Namerian mages tend to follow specific schools of magic. The man fought me like a protector. There was an archer who used elemental magic too,” Githinji said.

  “Those were the two I had marked . . . I see. There was also a summoner. The spirit warriors wouldn’t have come from the other two.”

  “Not likely,” Githinji agreed. “Our soldiers may still be alive, but that Namerian witch has likely taken away any satisfying life.”

  “Yes, sir. Orders?”

  Githinji rubbed his neck. He knew some Vikisotes escaped. He feared the Namerian archer may have gotten out as well. He needed to find the Namerians’ bodies, but he also needed to secure the ring fortress. There was also the possibility that some Vikisotes were still hiding. They would have to be gathered and imprisoned.

  Githinji walked closer to the Namerians’ last stand. It looked to have been a longhouse, but not quite as large as most of the others. The walls were torn down, but the debris looked to have been blasted outward. Githinji took another hesitant step toward the rubble. His foot kicked something.

  Githinji looked down and saw a half of the igsidian spear Two Dogs had used. He reached down and picked it up. The other half laid close by. Githinji gathered it too. He looked at each igsidian stone from several angles. He didn’t understand igsidian, but it was valuable. It would be another gift for Ekundayo.