THIRTY-SIX HOURS EARLIER, KHRISTOS HAD STOOD ALONE just outside the entrance to the Caves of the Paragon. It was early evening, and he felt assured that he could linger there in safety. Shailiha and her Conclave would likely not yet know about his recent battle with Tristan and the Minions, and would therefore not think to search the labyrinthine caves. He had sadly informed Gracchus of his failure to kill theJin’Sai, and of the strange rock walls that had surfaced from the Azure Sea. Even so, he had destroyed many Minion warriors, and for that he was glad. Following the orders Gracchus had given him during their earlier communion, he had come to this spot alone, leaving his vipers behind in the caves.
“Take no further action until you again sense my ken,” Gracchus had told him. “Worry not that you failed to kill theJin’Sai. Exit the caves and await my word. At that time I will give you new orders that will spell the end of his twin, the Jin’Saiou. In many ways she is an even greater prize, and killing her will be equally delicious, I assure you. When Tristan hears of her death, the pain he will suffer will be even greater than had you killed him with your silver staff on that bloody beach. ”
And so Khristos left his servants behind in the caves to come and tarry in the magenta moonlight.
As he stood waiting, the wind came up, ruffling the hem of his robe. The moonlight glinted off his staff, and the night creatures that had stopped singing when he first arrived slowly adjusted to his presence and took up their odd-sounding choruses again. The grass was heavy with dew, its countless stalks looking like row on row of tiny, glistening sword blades. This place was peaceful and beautiful, but he had little appreciation for it, because in his heart he only hungered to redeem himself and for his fight to start anew.
As he waited for Gracchus’ word he dropped the hood of his cloak, his hairless cranium shining in the moonlight. He then thought about Failee and smiled, wondering how she would have interpreted his new mission.
Although he was not taking her revenge in the manner that she had planned, this way was better, he decided. The Directorate of Wizards on whom she had originally wished to wreak vengeance were all dead, save for Wigg, Faegan, and Aeolus. And so he now did his best to kill those directly responsible for foiling Failee’s plans for Shailiha and for causing her untimely death. It is fitting, he reasoned.
Even now he missed the First Mistress, despite the wicked way she had tricked and used him. In truth his devotion to the Vagaries would allow him no other sentiment. Bearing a left-leaning blood signature of such great quality meant undying loyalty to the cause and unswerving devotion to those Vagaries mystics whose gifts outshone one’s own. So it had been with Failee, and so it now was with Gracchus.
What Khristos could not know was that before Gracchus deigned to again commune with him, thePon Q’tar cleric would first meet in secret with his fellows in the small invisible war tent-the same tent that stood far away from the main body of Vespasian’s camp as the emperor awaited word from the Carnifex Magnus that the invasion could safely start. Because Gracchus had given the otherPon Q’tar members the bad news about Tristan’s escape and outlined his further plans for theJin’Saiou, Gracchus was free to communicate his new orders to Khristos.
Just then the Viper Lord felt Gracchus’ mind reaching out to touch his. Going to his knees in the dewy grass, he bowed his head.
“I am here,” his thoughts said.
“Good,” Gracchus answered.“Pay close attention to my orders. You will soon use one of Failee’s spells with which you are intimately familiar. Following my instructions to the letter will take you far toward your final victory, and soon Eutracia and Parthalon will be yours to rule. Listen now and I will tell you all…”
As Gracchus outlined his plan, Khristos was surprised and impressed. TheJin’Saiou and her Conclave would never see the attack coming. Tammerland would be just the first step, but also the most important one. As he turned back to reenter the Caves, he smiled as he wondered what it would soon be like to sit on Tristan’s throne…
NINE HOURS LATER, KHRISTOS AND HIS SERPENTS HAD EXITEDthe Caves, and they stood along the southern bank of the Sippora River as it rushed eastward along the northern edges of Hartwick Wood toward the coast. Dawn would arrive soon, but for now the sky was still dark, its stealthy embrace hiding him and his servants from prying eyes. His Blood Vipers waited eagerly, their immense numbers stretching along the riverbank for nearly two full leagues. At his signal they would all leave this place and start their secret trek toward Tammerland. Then Khristos’ private war could start again.
To Khristos’ amazement, Failee’s three-hundred-year-old spell-the same one she had used to condemn Khristos to the water and give the viper embryos the chance to survive and to grow-still endured in them, Gracchus said. Moreover, when Khristos and his vipers again entered the water, like the time before, the spell would sustain them and they would no longer need to seek food. He had not known this, and he fully realized the many advantages that this new knowledge would bring. Failee’s spell that had once entrapped him and his vipers could now be used at will to further his ends.
How I wish that she could be here to see this night! he thought. What my love tried so hard to achieve is nearly in my grasp! When my task is done, the Vagaries will rule everywhere east of the Tolenka Mountains.
Having given his lead vipers their orders in the Caves, they had informed all of the others. As his Blood Vipers waited on the riverbank they eagerly writhed and hissed, wanting to be on their way. The time was now, Khristos realized. Raising his staff, he pointed it toward the river.
At once the thousands of Blood Vipers dived into the rushing Sippora and submerged. Failee’s unique spell that gave them life and allowed them to survive the depths would sustain them all the way to Tammerland, and the current would carry them along.
As he watched his servants vanish into the depths, he knew that they would not surface again until they were well into the heart of Tammerland, for the Sippora ran straight through the city’s center. Only then would they surface to climb the banks and enter the city. Their great numbers coupled with the huge advantage of surprise would quickly overcome the meager Minion patrols wandering the streets, and the killing could start. Even so, this part of Gracchus’ plan was only a diversion to help serve the more important stage that would follow.
In the heart of Tammerland the Sippora split into two branches before joining again and continuing toward the sea. The southernmost branch ran close by the royal palace. As the main body of Blood Vipers continued on, Khristos and the others would split off and keep traveling along the riverbed bordering the palace grounds.
After the main body exited the water to engage the Minion street patrols, the alarms would go out, bringing the palace grounds to life and summoning the Minions into the heart of the city to deal with the sudden threat. With the palace and its grounds nearly unguarded, Khristos and his viper group would exit the river and start their work. The savage killing of any Minion skeleton force left behind to guard the palace would serve as a welcome bonus.
With all his vipers waiting in the river, Khristos dived into the water and began leading his forces on the trek toward Tammerland.
FORTY-EIGHT HOURS LATER, KHRISTOS AND HIS FORCEShad reached the heart of Tammerland undetected. Because of Failee’s spell, despite the murkiness of the river water he and his vipers could see one another plainly. Using hand signals, Khristos ordered some of his servants to stride up the sloping riverbanks and to enter the unsuspecting city. It was evening in Tammerland, and many citizens would still be walking the streets.
Good, Khristos thought. The more mayhem that is caused, the better things will go for us.
As half of his servants crawled up the underwater banks on opposite sides of the river, the Viper Lord ordered his remaining force to wait behind. They would travel on to where the river branched. By the time he reached the area bordering the palace grounds, he knew that his vipers exiting the river in the city would have caused so much death and destruction that the palace would be nearly abandoned, as would the prizes that he sought. Motioning his forces forward, they traveled on.
Dripping water as they came, the thousands of hissing Blood Vipers entered the city, and with them came the first screams.