The army encampment outside of the Sakovan city of Alamar spread for miles in every direction. Thousands of tents dotted the landscape, and wagons loaded with food spread through the camp like the veins of a leaf. Lyra halted her horse and sat silently for several moments absorbing the image.
“I am glad that we didn’t have to face this army during the war,” commented StarWind. “It is one thing to talk about twenty thousand men, but it is quite another to see them all gathered in one place.”
“How long will Alamar’s food last feeding so many?” asked HawkShadow.
“The armies will not be staying here for long,” answered the Star of Sakova. “The purpose of the meeting today is to send General Romero and General Didyk back to Okata. By the time they reach the city, the mages will have restored the fields there.”
“Can the generals be trusted?” asked HawkShadow. “They were our enemies not long ago.”
“I don’t know,” Lyra conceded, “but we have little choice in the matter. I asked General Manitow to keep them here until I spoke to them. I want a chance to impress upon them the need for solidarity. We must get ready to face Vand’s armies. We need the loyalty of these generals and their men.”
“I do not trust them,” interjected Goral.
Lyra smiled at the Sakovan giant. “I do not trust them either, Goral, but we still need them, and I will trust StarWind’s people to keep a close eye on them.”
“I will infiltrate spies into their camps,” promised the Sakovan spymaster. “If the generals become treasonous, I will know about it.”
“I have faith in you, StarWind,” smiled the Star of Sakova. “I also have confidence that HawkShadow will eliminate those who seek to destroy this union of ours.”
“Is that why you are not taking us to Angragar?” asked the Sakovan assassin.
“Yes,” Lyra admitted. “It is necessary for me to join the Torak and the Astor in Angragar, but the trip comes at a critical time for the Sakova. I need skilled Sakovans to protect me on this trip, but I need the best to remain here. LunarSigh and DarkBlade are already waiting for me within the city. They will keep me safe until I return home.”
“Both are well skilled,” StarWind responded, “but you are to take three people with you. Who is the third?”
“My Uncle Temiker,” smiled Lyra. “I want his help when we start studying the ancient tomes of the Qubari. He often sees things that others miss. I want to be sure that we learn everything that we can about this coming invasion.”
“Your choice of Temiker pleases me,” smiled StarWind. “He will watch over you.”
“Kaltara always watches over me,” Lyra replied with a smile. “Let’s go talk to our generals.”
The four Sakovans rode down the hill and through the encampment. Imperial Guards scurried to and fro throughout the camp, but those along the path of the Star of Sakova stopped and stared as the Sakovans rode by. Some soldiers wondered who the strangers were, but word quickly spread that the Star of Sakova was coming. Before they were half way to the generals’ tents, soldiers began bowing as Lyra passed. Soon crowds grew and created a corridor through the camp. Lyra smiled benevolently at the soldiers as she passed.
By the time the Sakovans reached the tents of the two generals, Romero and Didyk were standing outside. They both bowed humbly when the Sakovans halted and dismounted.
The only Imperial Guard, who was not bowed down, moved swiftly from alongside the tent. He stabbed a knife into the side of General Didyk. HawkShadow leaped forward, drawing his two-handed sword as he ran. As the Imperial Guard turned to run away, HawkShadow’s blade sliced into the man’s back. The assassin fell to the ground and died.
Lyra raced to the fallen general and knelt next to him while HawkShadow knelt next to the dead assassin and searched his body. HawkShadow found nothing but a small pouch of gold on the body. He reached for the assassin’s left arm to inspect the wrist area. Some assassins in Omunga were branded with a tattoo resembling a coiled serpent with wings. It was their way of identifying each other. HawkShadow dropped the left arm and examined the right one. He frowned when he saw the mark. It was not the tattoo that he had been expecting to see. Instead of the coiled serpent, there was a thumbprint seared into the man’s flesh. He shook his head and dropped the arm.
Lyra checked the wound in General Didyk’s side. She frowned at the oozing crevice.
“It was a poisoned blade,” Lyra announced. “StarWind, race to the city and fetch LifeTender. Her healing skills are much greater than mine.”
Instead of mounting her horse, StarWind wove an air tunnel to Temiker’s school. HawkShadow ran to help Lyra support the general’s body as he used his knife to cut away the man’s uniform. Imperial Guard’s started to drift closer to the commotion, and two of them knelt on the opposite side of the fallen general and helped HawkShadow disrobe Didyk. Lyra started casting healing spells. During the commotion, almost everyone missed seeing the dead assassin rising to his feet.
“Down,” shouted Goral. “Everyone get down.”
Thousands of soldiers immediately dropped to the ground in confusion. The Sakovan giant thundered across the ground in pursuit of the assassin. Still a couple of paces behind the fleeing man, Goral swung his massive maul as he surged forward. The maul slammed into the man’s head, spraying blood and tissue across the ground. Instantly, all parts of the assassin turned to smoke. The white uniform of the Imperial Guard fell to the ground in a heap. Soldiers who had been sprayed with portions of the exploded head stared as the blood on their uniforms smoked, leaving no stain at all.
“What was that?” asked one of the Imperial Guards as others began quietly moving away from Goral.
Goral turned and strode over to HawkShadow. “I thought you killed him.”
“I did,” frowned HawkShadow as he looked up at the giant. “Trust me. That man was dead. I know dead when I see it.”
“He was a hellsoul,” Lyra announced as she continued to cast healing spells on General Didyk. “There will be more of them soon. Where is LifeTender?”
“She will be here shortly,” promised StarWind.
“Let’s hope that shortly is soon enough to save the general’s life,” frowned the Star of Sakova.
* * *
Rejji and his brother, Bakhai, stood in the square in the center of the city of Taggot. Thousands of tradesmen moved around the city as the sound of hammering echoed from every corner. Horse drawn carts moved logs and loads of stones in every direction.
“Your people can build a city overnight,” commented Bakhai. “It is hard to imagine the small village that existed here not long ago.”
“Overnight is quite an exaggeration,” replied the Astor as he turned to observe the work, “but everyone is working hard to make our dreams come true. Much of the credit must go to Lakado. He drew up the plans for the city. I think he has done a fine job.”
“Are we off to Meliban next?” asked the animal talker. “Is that where we will meet up with Lord Marak?”
“He is Emperor Marak now,” chuckled Rejji. “You must get used to his new title, or you will offend him when he arrives.”
“The Torak is not easily offended,” countered Bakhai. “I do not think he would even notice if I called him Lord Marak.”
“You are probably right,” shrugged Rejji. “You could probably even drop the title of lord, and he would not care. Still, try to be politely proper. There will be others traveling with him, and I do not want the Fakarans to be embarrassed.”
“I will try,” agreed Bakhai.
“I do not think we need to go to Meliban at this time,” Rejji said. “In fact, Marak may not even stop there. We have built inns every half-day’s ride between Ghala and the Fortung Mountains. Depending on when he enters the country, he might bypass the city.”
“I think he will stop even if it is just a half-day’s journey for that day,” Bakhai insisted. “He has a great curiosity, and he will want to see what you have accomplished. He will stop at Meliban.”
Rejji frowned as he saw a man dressed in a dark cloak following Adger, the leader of the Mutang tribe. What caught Rejji’s attention was that the man was walking with his hood concealing his face. Rejji knew of no Mutang tribesman who would dress in such a fashion. He tapped Bakhai on the arm and nodded in the direction of the man. Bakhai turned and stared at the stranger as the hooded man started to close the distance between himself and Adger. Bakhai unsnapped his bow and nocked an arrow.
“Adger,” shouted Rejji. “Come here please.”
The leader of the Mutang tribe turned and smiled at Rejji. He changed direction and started walking towards the square. The hooded man suddenly pulled a knife from beneath his cloak and darted towards Adger. Bakhai aimed and released his arrow without a second thought. The arrow struck the assailant in the chest, and his body tumbled to the ground. Adger turned and stared at the body as Rejji and Bakhai ran towards him.
“Do you know him?” Rejji asked Adger as he used his staff to push back the hood of the assailant.
“I have never seen him before,” Adger shook his head. “What is this all about?”
“He was following you,” answered Bakhai. “When Rejji called to you, this man pulled a knife and ran towards you. He was going to kill you.”
“Why me?” asked Adger. “Do you think he is Jiadin?”
“You are a tribal leader,” answered Rejji as he stared at the assassin’s face. “I think that makes you a target for Vand’s people as well as the remnants of the Jiadin. Emperor Marak warned that hellsouls would be coming to our lands. Perhaps this is one of them.”
“How can we tell for sure?” asked Adger.
Rejji saw the body move, and he forcefully jabbed the dead body with his staff. The body instantly turned to smoke, the cloak collapsing flat on the street.
“He was a hellsoul,” declared Rejji. “The Staff of the Astor banishes them.”
“That is fine if everyone carries a Staff of the Astor,” frowned Adger. “How are the rest of us supposed to deal with creatures that will not die?”
“I do not have an answer for that,” frowned Rejji. “Perhaps I will find one in Angragar.”
“You are going to the lost city?” Adger asked with excitement. “Do you want company?”
“Wyant and Bakhai are going with me,” replied Rejji. “Perhaps I can arrange for more to see the city in the future. Do not spread the word of our trip. Things are still too unsettled in Fakara for my liking.”
“You can trust the secret with me,” Adger readily agreed. “When will you be going?”
“In a few days,” answered Rejji. “We may leave earlier to visit Meliban, but I have not made my mind up yet.”
“I will keep things running smoothly here in your absence,” promised Adger. “Taggot is almost complete. What will we do next?”
“Farm production is at the top of the list,” answered Rejji. “I also want to create towns around the inns we have built across the country. I envision them as centers of commerce for the surrounding farmlands.”
“More likely they will become targets for the remnants of the Jiadin,” frowned Adger.
“I still hope to win over the Jiadin,” replied the Astor. “We have had enough internal strife in this country. It is time to unite and prepare to defend it. You must look at the Jiadin as misguided souls, not as the enemy. We will need their strength to defeat Vand.”
“That is a hard adjustment after the treachery of the Jiadin,” frowned Adger, “but we all believe in you. If that is what you wish, we will follow your commands.”
“That is what I wish,” smiled Rejji.
* * *
The eight travelers descended out of the Fortung Mountains into Fakara. They rode silently along a well-beaten path across the arid wasteland until finally they saw trees in the distance. The hooded rider gazed towards the setting sun to gauge the amount of daylight left.
“Two hours until dark,” Axor stated. “We will reach the forest long before that.”
“Did you have a hand in its creation?” asked Emperor Marak.
“No,” Axor replied, “although some from our tribe did. There are broad fields of grain a ways into the forest. I suspect that is where the Fakarans would construct an inn. We should arrive at dusk.”
Further back in the column, MistyTrail rode alongside Caldal. He rode with a continual frown upon his face.
“What is bothering you, Caldal?” asked the Sakovan. “You always look so sad, or angry. I can never tell which.”
“This land is desolate,” replied the elf. “It is not a land that elves should be in.”
“I doubt that is the reason for your moodiness,” countered MistyTrail. “You were the same riding through the lush fields of Khadora and over the majestic Fortung Mountains. Do you not trust me enough to be honest with me?”
Caldal rode on in silence for several minutes as he was weighing MistyTrail’s question in his mind. Finally, he sighed and faced the Sakovan.
“I like you a great deal,” admitted Caldal, “and I am eternally grateful for your part in rescuing me from the Island of Darkness. I want very much to be honest with you, but I find it hard to express my feelings. I should not be here. I do not belong in the land of humans, yet here I am, riding with a group of my enemy. In some ways I think that this is a great chance to learn about the humans, but then I realize that I am not here of my own free will. I am not chained as I was in Motanga, but I still have no say in my future. I am a prisoner.”
“You are no such thing,” protested MistyTrail. “Emperor Marak would allow you to leave if you wished to. I think he would try to talk you out of it, but in the end he will allow you to make the decision for yourself.”
“And leave you and Eltor?” questioned Caldal. “Perhaps the two of you are the chains that hold me here.”
“I don’t believe that you are being honest with yourself,” retorted MistyTrail. “You are not being forced on this journey against your will. In fact, you are being privileged to accompany the Torak to the lost city of Angragar. Many Khadorans would have volunteered to take your place. There is something deeper bothering you.”
Again Caldal fell silent for a time. As the column entered the forest, his spirits seemed to brighten.
“Maybe you are right,” Caldal said. “Emperor Marak has been a gracious host. The chains that hold me are wholly within my mind. I am not sure that you can understand this, but I will try to explain.”
MistyTrail smiled and nodded encouragingly.
“Elves are taught early that we have no friends in this world,” Caldal continued. “There have been times throughout history when the elves have reached out to others. Each and every time that hand has been cut off. Now the elves are isolated from the rest of the world, and we are taught that our existence depends on maintaining our distance from others.”
“Yet you and Eltor rebelled against that,” MistyTrail pointed out. “You sailed past the Barrier Islands to see what the rest of the world is like.”
“We did,” nodded Caldal, “and look what happened to us. We were destined to die at the hands of the humans on Motanga. You and Mistake intervened to save us, but the experience proves that our lessons were the truth. We should never have left Elvangar. Now our very existence is a threat to our people.”
“How are you a threat to anyone?” asked MistyTrail.
“While Emperor Marak has been quite friendly towards us,” explained Caldal, “he is human. He will now seek to discover the secret of Elvangar. He will not be able to help himself.”
“What if he does try to find Elvangar?” asked MistyTrail. “He would never bring harm to your people.”
“He would not do so intentionally,” agreed Caldal, “but trouble will follow him nonetheless. Once Elvangar appears on the charts of humans, others will seek us out. Some elves may even think it is time for us to return to the world and encourage the humans, but that would be folly. Once the humans learn of Elvangar, the land of the elves will begin to perish.”
“So you are blaming yourself for some future destruction of your people?” questioned MistyTrail. “Is that what is truly bothering you?”
“I think it is something like that,” nodded Caldal. “If Eltor and I had not rebelled and broken the law, Elvangar would remain a myth to the humans. I feel as if I am guilty of the worst nightmare one could ever imagine.”
“You forget about the other elves that were captured by Vand’s people,” noted MistyTrail. “You and Eltor are not the only ones to have strayed from Elvangar. You also don’t realize that the humans from Motanga are the ones that the elves need to fear.”
“The fact that others disobeyed the law is hardly a reprieve from my own transgressions,” frowned Caldal. “I do not stay up at night worrying about what others have done.”
“But you are missing my point,” MistyTrail persisted. “No matter what you do, humans are going to find Elvangar. If Eltor and you were never born, the humans would still find Elvangar. Can’t you see that?”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better about the end of my people?” snapped Caldal. “Do you expect me to sing for joy just because it is not me personally that will be responsible for the death of the elves?”
Caldal suddenly realized that he must have shouted at MistyTrail. The entire column had stopped and everyone was staring at him. Emperor Marak turned around and rode towards Caldal. The elf tried to avoid the human’s eyes, but Emperor Marak sat patiently until Caldal looked up.
“I will not be a party to the destruction of the elves,” the Emperor declared softly. “Whether or not the elves join with us to defeat Vand, I will never allow the elves to be attacked by humans. If that is what is affecting your attitude, be reassured that my intentions are honorable.”
“I have learned that your intentions are honorable,” admitted Caldal, “but that only means that you are a rare human. Once Elvangar is on your charts, elves will begin dying.”
“Elves will begin dying as soon as Vand sets his sights on Elvangar,” replied the Emperor. “With the number of elves he has already captured, do you really think he does not already know the location of your homeland?”
Caldal’s mouth dropped open, and he stared into Emperor Marak’s eyes as he saw the truth in the human’s statement.
“The only saving grace for Elvangar is that Vand intends to attack us first,” Emperor Marak continued. “And I intend to defeat him before he can turn on the elves. Help from your people would be invited and welcomed, but we intend to stand against Vand’s armies regardless of how badly we are outnumbered. If you really want to help your people, alert them to the threat of Vand and prepare Elvangar for the inevitable attack should we be defeated.”
Suddenly, six arrows flew out of the forest towards the Khadoran column. Two arrows struck Emperor Marak in the back, knocking him off his horse. Two arrows struck Gunta and Halman caught another. Both Torak soldiers fell to the ground. The sixth arrow hit MistyTrail’s horse. The horse shrieked and bolted, tossing MistyTrail to the ground.
“Everybody down,” shouted Mistake as she dove at Eltor, knocking both of them off their horses.
Caldal dropped to the ground and threw his body over MistyTrail as the horses ran past. Axor turned his horse and galloped away after the other horses. More arrows flew through the trees, but everyone flattened against the trail. All of the arrows missed.
Eltor shook himself free from Mistake and grabbed his bow. He nudged Caldal with the end of it. Caldal looked up and saw Eltor making motions with his hands. He rolled off of MistyTrail and grabbed his own bow. The two elves nocked arrows and split up. Eltor backtracked along the trail, keeping low to avoid being seen. Caldal did the same in the opposite direction. Mistake and MistyTrail crawled to the Emperor’s body.
When another hail of arrows ripped through the trees, the elves responded with arrows of their own. Two screams came from the forest followed by a number of shouts and the sounds of movement. The sounds grew dimmer.
“They are running away,” shouted Eltor. “Let’s track them.”
“No,” groaned Emperor Marak as he rolled over and stared up at Mistake and MistyTrail. “Tell the elves to stay here.”
“Eltor! Caldal!” shouted Mistake. “Come here quickly.”
The elves halted. The looked first at Mistake and then locked eyes with each other. Eltor finally shrugged and walked towards Mistake. Caldal followed his example.
“Why would you not let us track them?” asked Eltor.
“Because they would lay a trap for you,” the Emperor said as he sat up. “I want the two of you alive to return to Elvangar.”
“How is it that you survived the attack?” asked Caldal. “I saw you struck down by two arrows.”
The Emperor smiled and extended his arm towards Caldal. The elf grabbed the arm and pulled the Emperor to his feet. Gunta and Halman were also getting up and standing.
“The thin cloth that you wear under your tunic is armor,” smiled the Emperor. “It has tremendous abilities in stopping most attacks to the torso.”
“That thin black cloth?” frowned Caldal. “You can’t be serious. That stopped the arrows?”
“I am sure that I have a couple of puncture wounds in my back,” nodded the Emperor, “but no serious damage was done. It sure does hurt, though. I won’t mind a night in a nice bed.”
“That is amazing,” remarked Eltor. “Maybe we should put ours on,” he added as he looked at Caldal.
The Emperor looked from Caldal to Eltor and frowned. “You aren’t wearing yours?”
“We thought it was some human fetish,” Eltor shrugged embarrassingly. “We didn’t know it was armor. How can it protect you and still be so light?”
“It is made of Tyrik silk,” explained the Emperor. “It is then coated with carganite. Not much gets through it.”
“The Chula ran off during the fight,” frowned Caldal as he sought to provide a distraction from his embarrassment. “I guess that is to be expected from one who hides his face.”
“He is trying to capture our horses before they scatter,” explained the Emperor. “Without them, we are truly dead. The enemy would have time to congregate and greatly outnumber us. Do not make the mistake of thinking that Axor is a coward. You will find that Chula shamans are capable of great feats of destruction. As for hiding his face, someday you will learn why. Let’s walk towards the inn. I am sure that Axor will be along shortly with our horses.”
“What about the enemy?” asked Eltor. “We killed a couple of them I am sure of it. Shouldn’t we search the bodies?”
“You can try if you wish,” shrugged the Emperor, “but I doubt that you will find any bodies. Even if you killed them, they will rise again.”
“Hellsouls?” frowned Mistake.
“Hellsouls,” nodded Emperor Marak. “I had word before leaving Khadoratung that thousands of them are being shipped out of Motanga. This will not be the last attack upon us. Somehow Vand must know that I am making this trip.”
“Couldn’t it just be some stray Jiadin?” asked Mistake.
“There are stray Jiadin that could be bandits,” shrugged the Emperor, “but I doubt that they would waste their time attacking eight people who carry no goods. The Jiadin would also prefer to attack on horseback. That is the favored method of fighting in Fakara.”
“You are right,” nodded Mistake. “Jiadin would not hide in the woods and attack from a distance. They would charge down the trail with their swords raised high. It is a cultural thing.”
“One I hope to change before Vand arrives,” smiled the Emperor as Axor came into view and rode towards them.
“I was not able to capture them all,” apologized Axor. “Two of us will have to double up.”
“My horse was struck with an arrow,” offered MistyTrail. “I will ride double with Caldal.”