Sixth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  “How the hell did she capture you anyway?” Erik asked.

  “Welcome to the ten realms quest, we went looking for a totem. Was in his territory. She had a few people from Earth, knew the stories about people coming from new places. She acted all nice. Then she tried to get us into contracts that would basically bind us to her forever. Would be her slaves. Didn’t like that idea much, got the hell out of there before she knew we knew something was fucked,” Kanoa said.

  “Shit, ours took us to a totem as well, if Chonglu was more of a bastard,” Rugrat trailed off.

  “Lucked out man,” Erik said. “We’ll need oaths that you will never tell anyone where you got the gear or know anything about us or our organization. Nothing more unless you want to join Alva.”

  Kanoa’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the two of them.

  “Guess, I’m going to have to trust you and you must have some pull and power in order to get the tavern under your control,” Kanoa said.

  “Tip of the iceberg,” Erik said. “First, something to assure you and your people. I, Sergeant Erik West, swear on the Ten Realms that I am from the United States of America, Earth. I wish to assist you and your people and will not harm you and your people unless you are actively trying to harm me or my comrades. If I break my oath then might the Ten Realms strike me down.”

  A golden glow wrapped around Erik.

  Rugrat followed up with the exact same oath as the golden glow fell away.

  “You want to come down from the stairs now there?’ Rugrat asked turning to the stairs.

  There was a noise and then a few moments later Miller walked down the last few stairs holding his crossbow.

  “How did you?”

  “Ten Realms, there’s a lot of tricks you can learn. Now, how about this cooperation?” Rugrat smiled.

  Things moved quickly then. Kanoa told them everything he knew about their enemy. Then they quickly formulated a plan, utilizing the support of Erik and Rugrat’s people.

  A woman entered the tavern, she was wearing a mask to hide her identity as she listened to Erik and Rugrat and went off to prepare everything.

  “Okay, now we just have to convince the other groups,” Kanoa said as the door closed behind her.

  “Your people are in these places,” Erik pulled out some paper and passed it to Kanoa.

  Their information network is quick and efficientn less than a night they knew who we were and where we were staying as well as the leadership. I’m interested to see just what they have done.

  Kanoa spent the night going from one tavern and inn to another. Erik and Rugrat had given him a number of rifles and he passed them out. At the first tavern he took one apart completely. It was a crude weapon but it functioned and there were no traps embedded in them.

  “Are you sure about them?” Badowska said in his thick Russian accent.

  Kanoa stopped thinking on the duo and snorted. “You know some shit you just can’t fake, down to their bones they’re soldiers. I trust them.”

  “Okay,” Badowska said. That was enough for him. They had been on opposite sides on Earth, but here they were just two guys in the same foxhole. When the shit hit the fan they’d banded together and fought side by side, it was a quick and dirty bond that was as strong as steel.

  Kanoa patted Badowka, thankful for the other man’s trust.

  ***

  Erik and Rugrat remained in the tavern though Roska and her people that had been protecting them from outside the tavern were now posted up inside.

  “I’ve got a few of my people watching the area, no one in the surrounding area thinks that anything is different,” she said, sitting at the same table as the other two, they were eating soup with bread that the tavern owner had made for them.

  “Looks like everything is ready,” Rugrat said.

  “Everything is going smoothly, some real clandestine secret spook shit,” Erik snorted and dipped his bread into his warm stew, soaking up the juices.

  “I didn’t realize it earlier but King Ikku used to be my Empress, like Alva Village was within her domain,” Roska said. “Never thought that I would be running an operation to hide escapees from my ex-empress.”

  “We live in a weird world,” Rugrat said.

  Roska grunted as she ate her soup.

  “How long until Ikku’s people reach the Beast Mountain Range?” Rugrat looked at Erik.

  “A day or two, I think.”

  “We got to them just in time,” Rugrat said. “They’ll ship out with the traders leaving in the morning, spread them over the outposts split Ikku’s forces. Get them nice and confused, get them to jump off in the middle of outposts and disappear into the forests, or leave the outposts without being seen leaving. The traces will be spread across the Beast Range. With our agents creating ‘spotting’s’ of the group across the First Realm Ikku’s forces will be dogs without a scent.”

  ***

  Lord Salyn gritted his teeth, the rain from last night had continued into the day, he and his men were covered in mud, a third of them riding on mounts and the others were doing their best to catch up.

  The group of nearly a hundred people came slowed as they reached the outpost gates.

  “Move aside in the name of King Ikku of the Shikoshi Kingdom!” Salyn demanded. people started to move out of the way and people complained in low voices as they were forced out of the way.

  A whistle went up along the wall. The guards all readied their weapons at the outpost, those on the higher walls readied their bows and spears for anything.

  Salyn sneered as he touched his blade. He had chased Ikku’s ‘helper’s across half the Empire and through three forests before reaching the Beast Mountain Range. The group was slippery and smart, even with non-fighters they were able to make fake trails and keep ahead of Salyn and his people. They had even counterattacked and scared off their mounts forcing most of their forces to run on foot.

  They were at a boiling point and now some outpost was readying their people.

  Don’t they think too highly of themselves? If they dare to stand in my way, they shouldn’t blame me for not being kind!

  A guard stepped forward.

  “Please wait for your turn to enter. The auction is still a few days away. There is no need to have a problem,” he said comfortably.

  “Who cares about your auction? Tell your Lord that I am here with the full force of King Ikku’s power. We are tracking saboteurs who attacked the Empress. Step aside or do not blame me for my actions!” Lord Salyn pulled his blade out and held it at his side, facing the guard.

  His own force moved, ready for a fight if it happened.

  “Let us not be rash, my Lord should be here soon,” the guard said.

  “He best have an explanation why he stops King Ikku’s personal force!” Salyn roared.

  A few minutes later Salyn heard the noises of armored soldiers marching. The gates opened wide and an overweight man wearing opulent clothes appeared. He wore a smile as if greeting his best friend on a sunny day. Around him there were several powerful men and women wearing their own custom armor. Behind them there were more armed and armored men and women in formation.

  People marched up to the defenses. They weren’t like the regular guards their aura was sharper and they all wore the same gear instead of the mis-matched weapons and armor of the guards. Even the symbols on their chests were different from the regular guards.

  What is this new force? They work with the guards, they’re related? Salyn’s wariness increased as his eyes scanned the walls and then focused on the outpost Lord.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Salyn hissed. “Do you dare to stand in my way as an envoy of the King Ikku?”

  “I do not know of Empresses or Envoy’s my Lord, I am sorry. I am just an outpost lord in the Beast Mountain Range. It seems that there is some kind of issue here, if you want to enter the outpost you will have to pay the fee. If you are wanting to go to the auction then you can just go around and take the ro
ad to King’s Hill if you do not want to enjoy our hospitality. I am sorry but we live off of trade and currently, you are holding up a number of traders,” the Lord held out his hands to the traders and people that were waiting to enter the outpost.

  “I have been sent to track down and capture a group of people that attacked King Ikku. If you stand in my way then you will face the power of her wrath,” Lord Salyn said.

  The outpost lord’s smile didn’t falter, but it gained an edge as the placating and easy smile of a simple man never changed.

  “I am but an outpost lord, but, this is an outpost of the Beast Mountain Range and the King’s Hill Alliance,” the guards behind the lord and those on the wall unsheathed their weapons in one movement, ready to attack in a moment.

  “The Kingdom of Thilu’s Lord Russo stood where you were only a few days ago, demanding as you did. He lost the right to enter the Beast Mountain Range and lost three-quarters of his forces and didn’t reach our walls,” the lord chuckled and opened his arms his face didn’t change once, but a dominating air came from his body and from the guards behind him.

  Salyn’s eyes constricted feeling their strength wash over him, finding that a number of the guards, were stronger than his own elites.

  We have been riding for weeks and they have just woken up after a good night’s rest.

  Salyn bit back his words, putting on a smile and sheathing his sword.

  “I am sorry about my actions, it was unbefitting of me. My men and I are tired and tense, we have been on the road too long and away from civilization I hope that you can forgive my sharp and unruly tongue,” Salyn bowed his head to the lord.

  “Ah, we all have had those days, I hope that you can find those you are searching for,” the lords’ smile had never changed throughout the conversation making Salyn feel a mix of rising fury and a chill.

  Salyn had his people put their weapons away and the guards on the walls did the same. Salyn paid the fee and entered the outpost.

  “Drev, find me those saboteurs as fast as possible I will find some food,” Salyn said to his second-in-command.

  “Yes my Lord,” Drev saluted.

  Salyn headed to find somewhere warm, dry and with something to eat with his personal guards as Drev coordinated the search inside the outpost.

  ***

  Salyn was sitting in a private room eating when Drev came to make his report.

  “We have found traces of the targets, it looks like they came into the city in several groups and different ways. This morning they all left by different means, we are a half-day behind them. Though they didn’t all go in the same direction and separated out taking different caravans to other outposts.”

  “Your thoughts?”

  “There were some groups that headed towards King’s Hill it is a super-outpost that has reached a population equivalent to a city. To reach it one needs to pass through the Beast Mountain Range. It is a hard journey if one is to leave the path then there is no guarantee that one could survive long.”

  Salyn sat there and looked through the window.

  “Where did the strong experts we saw on the wall come from?”

  “They are part of the Beast Mountain Range Guards. They were trained in King’s Hill. All of the outposts banded together after a large fight created an alliance, King’s Hill is their center and connects them all. All of the outpost leaders put forward their own guards to join the new guard unit. They come from all of the outposts making them a neutral party in outpost conflicts. They are well-trained and supported.”

  “How was a backwater group of guards able to become this powerful?” Salyn’s eyes were sharp as they cut to Drev.

  “The Beast Mountain Range is a place of peril, there are many mercenary groups that put their lives on the line to earn a living here. They are rough men and women but due to the constant fighting and the high pay, if they succeed they become very strong. Some of them become guards who must weather beast tides, protect traders, their outposts and give justice, while the mercenaries are strong the guards must be even stronger to suppress them or else the outposts would have been taken over by a mercenary band. It has happened before. The best of these guards were pulled together, given powerful training aids and gained discipline creating a structure that allowed the guards to fully employ their strength.”

  “So all of the outposts are controlled by them?”

  “No, each outpost has its own guards, the Beast Mountain Guards are just support and rotating guards, they protect the roads and support the local outpost units, if necessary.”

  “Sounds like you respect them,” Salyn asked.

  “They live in a hard place, the guards are as strong as I am but they work for the King’s Hill Alliance and are organized into a true army. Calling them guards would make one underestimate them, but they are true warriors.”

  “So it will be hard to nearly impossible for us to force the locals to help us,” Salyn smacked the table in frustration, he stood up and moved to the window he had glanced out of before.

  “The routes other than the one to King’s Hill what are they like?”

  “There are the main routes, but there are many roads and routes between outposts. Some caravans might even head away from the Beast Mountain Range toward other villages and towns if the weather or roads are bad. If our targets run, they can go anywhere,” Drev replied.

  “With the route to King’s Hill, they’re boxed in. Okay, we will head out as soon as possible,” Salyn turned around to Drev’s frown.

  “Something wrong?”

  “The roads are well-made, but it still goes through the Beast Mountain Range. We will need to be at our best condition if we want to rush through. We could hire the guards to escort us, but it is expensive and we would have to travel at their pace,” Drev said.

  Salyn snorted. “You think too little of our people and too much of these guards. Have everyone prepare, we will set off in two hours.”

  Drev, moved his lips as if he had something more to say.

  He cupped his hands and bowed.

  “As you command, Lord Salyn.”

  Chapter: Light at the end of the tunnel

  Kanoa waited as the guard passed, the sound of footsteps faded away. The ‘trader’ who was ferrying them to King’s Hill checked the area once again and waved them forward, they left the rest station area at the side of the road and quickly escaped into the forest.

  It was cold, still wet from the last few days rain. They reached a group of boulders in the middle of the forest, they were covered in moss, untouched by time.

  The trader moved a rock out of the way and pressed a medallion against an engraving.

  Kanoa scanned the area, covering the civilians who were huddled together. He’d convinced them but they were all scared about trusting someone new.

  The ground shook and a few boulders moved aside, revealing stairs leading down. The trader waved them forward, they passed through a series of doors and found three people waiting for them around a teleportation array.

  “Captain,” Rugrat said in greeting. “Alright, step into the teleportation formation and then we’ll be off to the races. I’ll hold your hand, if you want?”

  Kanoa stared at Rugrat and sighed.

  “You got into all kinds of shit with your officers, didn’t you?”

  “Once or twice,” Rugrat grinned.

  Kanoa stepped onto the teleportation array with three civilians and Rugrat. The trader turned around and headed out, he heard the boulders moving back into place as a flash of light consumed him.

  Kanoa had his rifle ready to snap up to his shoulder.

  He scanned the area, finding a defensive structure around the teleportation array. The air was warm, the men and women at the defenses were wearing modern military equipment and toted firearms though they had lines of formations on their weapons and gloves. They were relaxed and laid back.

  “Please vacate the teleportation array and step forward. New arrivals to the left for
medical check and familiarization courses. Returning citizens, to the right. Welcome to Alva,” the words were monotonous and bored as if the speaker had been drained, body and soul. Kanoa looked at the little imp that was holding paddles and standing on a box.

  Kanoa stepped out of the way of the teleportation array and saw more of his people appearing at different teleportation arrays.

  The imp let out a sigh filled with suffering and unwillingness. Kanoa’s eyes went wide as he saw a flame appear and the temperature increase.

  Kanoa felt a chill seeing the enslaved creature as he repeated his instructions, waving his paddles from the left to the right entry-ways.

  “What you doing here as a greeter, Davin?”

  “Hey Rugrat,” the imp said, his entire body slumped.

  “Did you make a mess in the wood floor again?”

  “I tooted one time! How was I supposed to know it would set the field on fire,” Davin waved his paddles pouting, like a five-year old child that couldn’t have possibly done wrong.

  Kanoa coughed slightly and lowered his guard.

  Okay so not indentured servant, but fire-spitting imp on time-out?

  “What was it this time?”

  “I saw that there were some pies out for free and because the people from the cooking trader are so nice I couldn’t let them go to waste so I had a few to show my support for their hard work!”

  Rugrat turned to a guard.

  “There was a large test being held by the cooks. The pies had only come out of the oven, they were so hot that they had to be handled with gloves. They were put near the window to cool them down.”

  “They were just the right temperature!” Davin said.

  “You’re a fire imp everything hot is the right temperature, most other people would be sent to the hospital with burns!” Rugrat said.

  “I was just passing, how was I to know?”

  “It was the Seventh floor,” the guard deadpanned.

  “Right, it all makes sense now,” Rugrat said. “Keep up the good work Davin and stop eating everything!”

  Davin made hurt noises as his face crumpled more.