There was dancing in the streets of Balph. Hostigos was an abattoir and the renegade Prince Ptosphes was dead. The Daemon Kalvan was fleeing for his life and the mighty fortress Tarr-Hostigos had fallen to the Grand Host of Styphon's House. The war against the Blasphemer was over! "Styphon Victorious" rang out throughout the Holy City. The only dark cloud on the horizon was the unasked question: How long before Archpriest Roxthar and his Investigation returned?
That was the question that weighed heavily on the mind of Archpriest Anaxthenes for the last moon as he pondered the future of the Temple's hold over the Five Kingdoms. Today, he had gotten an answer. Soon he would attend a meeting with the rest of his co-conspirators at Relic Tomb deep underneath the Great Temple of Styphon. Now he was meeting with Highpriest Danthor in the Speaker's private chamber. Danthor had just returned from Hos-Rathon and Anaxthenes was anxious to learn if he had any news of Usurper Kalvan.
After the Highpriest was brought into his chamber, Anaxthenes dispensed with the usual ritual greetings. "Have a seat, Highpriest."
"Your Sanctity be praised."
"Yes, yes… Let us forego the formalities today. I invited you to my chamber to learn firsthand of your time in Rathon Town."
Danthor laughed nastily. "The Trygathi call it Rathon City these days. These bumpkins will rue the day their king sold them out so he could pose as Great King-Ha! Great King Cleitharses has plans for the Holy Squares to deal with these upstarts as soon as they return from Hos-Hostigos."
Now it was Anaxthenes turn to laugh. "Return-not this winter! Ho! Ho! Maybe not the next, either."
Danthor looked at him with curiosity.
"Not a word of this to Old Rat's Nest. He will learn in Our time. The Holy Squares were massacred by the Hostigi Army; less than half will return to Hos-Ktemnos."
"The Great King will be inconsolable. They were the elite of the Sacred Squares of Hos-Ktemnos! How did this happen? I thought we won."
"Yes, we won, but the butcher's bill was high. Unfortunately for the Holy Squares, Marshal Zythannes turned and ran from his post, when the Hostigi attacked, thereby leaving the Holy Squares without a commander. Many more were lost when Prince Ptosphes blew up Tarr-Hostigos."
"Cleitharses will be sick when he learns of this disaster."
"That's not all. The Grand Host will not be disbanding, or rather most of it will not. Great King Lysandros is willful and thinks of his own gain, rather than the Temple's."
Danthor nodded. "Like an Archpriest."
They both laughed.
"For our safety, the Grand Host will continue its work. Also, Soton does not trust the Host's commander, Great Captain-General Phidestros. He is by far too ambitious; somehow he convinced Lysandros to have all the Host's mercenaries swear oaths of fealty to him, as Prince of Greater Beshta! This was supposedly done to forestall the Ban of Galzar, but not even Styphon himself knows what plots are hatching in Phidestros' or Lysandros' skulls! Nor does Soton trust subordinates who disobey his orders, as Phidestros did by leading the siege party to Tarr-Hostigos himself."
"He did this contrary to the Grand Master's personal orders. He is not to be trusted."
Anaxthenes nodded, "My thoughts exactly. Of course, with Roxthar still in Hostigos, the problem may resolve itself with Phidestros under Investigation. However, Roxthar is a dangerous tool-like one of Kalvan's rapiers which I have heard has a deadly point as well as a sharp blade."
Danthor added, "Truly, the Roxthar and his Investigation are now endangering the Temple. With Hos-Hostigos gone, does Styphon need Roxthar?"
"Haaa! Better, yet, does Styphon's House need the Investigator and his Investigation? Yes, this is the sticking point for the Inner Circle-most of whom wet themselves upon hearing the Investigator's very footsteps!"
Danthor nodded solemnly. "Fortunately, Speaker, there are those among the Inner Circle who still have their backbones."
Anaxthenes smiled, but refrained from comment. This Blethan High-priest appeared to be a good prospect for the new Inner Circle. At the next session of the Inner Circle, he would have Archpriest Heraclestros put Danthor's name up for investiture. He knew that he'd promised King Cleitharses he'd have Danthor elevated as Archpriest, but he could have stalled until Old Rat's Nest died, had he not sensed a kindred soul.
Now, he needed information. "How did our new Great King take to Kalvan's troubles?"
"Not well, Speaker. When I last saw Nestros, before my departure to Balph, he was cradling his head in his arms as though in great pain. I fear our new Pretender of the soon-to-be shortly lived Kingdom of Hos-Rathon is beginning to doubt the wisdom of his rash change of allies. As well he should! I spent half of his treasury building new Temples and shrines to Styphon!"
"Very good, he will have little gold to spend on troops and weapons. New taxes will turn his friends into enemies and embolden those who already despise him. I hope you thought to bring some of this gold home to Balph with you."
"Of course, Speaker… the other half!"
They both howled.
"I brought back four wagon loads of valuables from Hos-Rathon, everything that wasn't tied down!"
"How come I haven't heard about these wagons?"
"What, Speaker, and have every temple rat between here and Rathon stealing the scraps? No, I hand-picked men from my bodyguard to protect the treasure. I ensured the teamsters' silence by having their tongues cut off. Of course, the teamsters will be suitably rewarded now that the treasure has arrived in Balph. Maybe Styphon will grow them new tongues!"
Despite himself, Anaxthenes chuckled. "We need more highpriests with your wit, and foresight." I'm going to have to keep an eye on this one, he thought. Then his curiosity got the best of him, "What have you done with the treasure?"
"With Styphon's own coffers already so over-burdened with gold and other riches, I thought this wealth might be more valuable as a private Inner Circle treasury, for those deeds that are wont to be kept secret."
Oh, you are good! thought Anaxthenes. "Most perspicacious of you, Highpriest. I will see that you are personally given one tenth of all the treasure." He failed to mention that he would personally take a third for himself. Of course, if Danthor were half as smart as he came across, he would have already taken his own third! Too bad he couldn't question those drivers himself…
"That is more than fair, Speaker." Danthor replied.
"Did you hear any word of the Usurper's plans while you were in False Kingdom of Hos-Rathon?"
"No. I left just after news of the Battle of Ardros Field reached Rathon 'City.' There was no joy in the streets of Rathon, nor any on Nestros' face at word of Styphon's great victory. Kalvan was only in Hos-Rathon for a short time, but he made many friends among the commoners and soldiers there."
Anaxthenes shrugged. "Kalvan's victory over the Order of Zarthani Knights did not tarnish his reputation, either. Still, if Kalvan had not wooed Ranjar Sargos so ardently, we would have never been able to convince that blockhead Nestros that Kalvan was untrustworthy."
"It was Nestros' ambition that was his undoing. He desired to be what he could not be and will never be-a Great King."
"Most true. He is the Great King of Swine of the Trygathi Pigpen. But what of Sargos? There could be danger for all of us if Kalvan were to join with the nomads and then worry our borders."
"Xiphlon has hired this Warlord who deems himself Great King, like Nestros, under the Urgothi title, Var-Wannax. It is said that Sargos has taken a great army to the Sea of Grass to subdue the Ruthani and Mexicotal who besieged Xiphlon. Win or lose, Sargos will be in no position to help Kalvan."
"You have brought us much good news, Danthor. Now it is my turn to give you some; I will sponsor your investiture as Archpriest at the next Council. In return, I expect your complete loyalty and that you will act as my ear in Great King Cleitharses' audience chamber and library."
Danthor bowed his head. "Your wish is my command, Speaker."