An Elegy of Heroes

by K. S. Villoso

  “Occasionally, the man needs to be put in his place,” Ceres said.

  Enosh laughed. “You picked a hell of a time to get here. Leaving your cushy seat at Eheldeth must’ve been difficult.”

  “It was. It is a cushy seat. You would know.” Her face grew serious. “We made arrangements as soon as we received reports on Lon Basden. Jarche was…agitated.”

  “You brought her here?”

  “She insisted. My men took her straight to Fort Bastras after we arrived. Thankfully, that was right before the beast attacked the tower—I think that disrupted the channel flow through the airship routes. I hope no other airship was flying when it happened.” She touched Enosh’s arm. “Jarche wants to talk to Yn Garr. Supposing we get her to him, do you think he will listen to her?”

  “It depends on what she has to say,” Enosh said, licking his lips. “I don’t know if I’d trust her.”

  “Talk to her.” Ceres looked at him, her eyes blazing. “I know your misgivings. Tonight, they don’t matter. We’re at war and your feelings are inconsequential. Talk to her—that’s an order.”

  Interlude

  Jarche is pacing in a slow circle in front of three mages when Ceres arrives with her boy.

  “Leave us,” Enosh says. The mages withdraw. In the blink of an eye, they are alone in the room. Enosh regards her with a look that makes it clear he does not know how to talk to her anymore. He settles on, “What the hell does he think he’s doing?”

  “You say that as if I have privy to all his thoughts,” Jarche says.

  Enosh shakes his head. “You’ve been with him all these years. You’ve known him since he was Agartes Allaicras, haven’t you?”

  “I watched him bury his children, yes.”

  “Why did you never tell me?”

  “I didn’t think it was necessary for you to know,” Jarche says. “Did I ever outright lie to you? Did you ever come up and ask, ‘Jarche, is the master the same man as Agartes Allaicras?’, and I said, ‘No, stop asking me,’?”

  “So explain what this is all about. Was this what we had been working for all those years? When I was young, both of you filled my heads with stories about this evil empire and how you would take Lon Basden back and that would help reduce the flow of agan through their channels and prevent it all from exploding over our heads. I went with it because I didn’t understand. Later, when I did, I thought it was his way of justifying a war that would, by its very nature, be for Yn Garr Industries’ benefit. Growth in the Orasmus Peninsula, when it is under Hafed control—roads and tunnels and mines…”

  “You were always so sensible, my dear.”

  His face tightens. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

  “I’m only trying to draw a comparison,” she says. “Agartes is not the man you are.”

  “He used to be. He was the one who taught me to be rational, that sometimes you had to use people against their will because you knew better.”

  “That was you,” she says. “Your cold rage against his hot temper. He has always admired that about you.”

  “So this comes down to vengeance, after all. All I’ve done for him—all we’ve worked so hard to build up…”

  She looks away, suddenly finding the anger in his eyes too difficult to bear. “It is more complicated than that. But I think what you really want to know is if we truly cared for you, all those years. We did, my dear. He loved you.”

  Enosh’s eyes widened. “That man? Loved me? I didn’t realize we were in a comedy play, Jarche.”

  “What did you want to hear, then?”

  “I…”

  Jarche finds courage and walks towards him. He doesn’t draw away from her, not this time. She runs the back of her hand over his cheek. They grow old so fast, these humans. It feels like only yesterday that he was so small, with eyes that held no fear or hate.

  “Tell them to find me a way to speak with him,” she says. “He is confused. Angry. I am sure something drove him to this madness. This was not the plan.”

  His eyes dance. “Is that all, Jarche? Are you hiding anything else from me?”

  She hesitates. After a moment, she drops her hand to her side. If she tells him, he will hate her forever. He may find out soon enough, anyway, but she will not nail her own coffin shut herself.

  “No,” she whispers.

  Perhaps it makes no difference. “So now all you have left to do is to help fix this fucking mess,” he says. He turns and walks away, leaving her alone. Always, alone. She ought to be used to it by now.

  Chapter Twelve

  Kefier left the inn the morning after Sume’s departure. Out on the streets, he noticed that the Baidhan fleet was gone.

  The silence remained palpable. Kefier took care to avoid the few Hafed soldiers he could see. He had no sword to defend himself with and the last thing he wanted was to find himself back in Fort Oras’ dungeon.

  There were hardly any Dageian ships left on the docks, either. The few left behind did not seem seaworthy. He was surveying this when he saw Aden walking with somebody up the pier. Drawing his cloak over him, he followed them. When it looked like they were alone, he called Aden’s name.

  Aden turned. The man beside him did, too—Kefier recognized Abel. “You look well,” Aden said, going up to clasp his arm. “We were just talking about paying you a visit, but it looks like that’s not needed.”

  Kefier nodded at Abel before turning back to Aden. “What’s happening out here?”

  “Yn Garr’s marching for Drusgaya,” Aden said. “Most of them were gone by last night. He left us and a handful of Hafed soldiers behind to guard Lon Basden.”

  “Does he actually think he can take over the city? He won’t have a hell’s chance of defending it when the rest of Dageis’ forces catch up to him.”

  “I don’t know,” Aden said.

  “What about Rosha and Dai? Did he take them with him?”

  “I would assume so,” Aden said. “The last time I saw them, they were with Sthura. She’s always by his side, these days.”

  “He’s doing too much, too soon. Lon Basden is a good prize, better than what he’d hoped for. Why would he throw it all away at Drusgaya’s gates? Doesn’t he already have his vengeance?” He shook his head. “I need you to find me a ship to Drusgaya.”

  “You want to follow them?” Aden asked. “And you call Yn Garr mad.”

  He snorted. “I don’t have a choice. He’s got my kid wrapped up around these ridiculous schemes of his.”

  “I suppose…” Aden started. He pointed at one boat. “Ranias was doing inspections yesterday. Anyone who could’ve fled across the strait did so before our fleet arrived. Some of these fishing boats only need minor repairs.”

  “How long before you can get someone to fix them?”

  “Just because I grew up in Ni’in doesn’t mean I know much about boats, Kefier. But I’d say a few days, maybe a week?”

  Kefier cursed under his breath. “Do what you have to do.”

  “All right,” Aden said cheerfully.

  Kefier cleared his throat. “Thank you, by the way.”

  “You can thank me when we get there.”

  Kefier turned to him. “I didn’t ask you to come. You’ll jeopardize your position with the Boarshind.”

  Aden sighed. “I was devising a plan with Abel, actually, about the possibility of helping you travel back to your home. Although Yn Garr removed you from command, our respect for you remains. A lot from the Boarshind feel the same way. Commander Caiso has his hands full. Not a problem I have to worry about anymore—if you’d rather go to Drusgaya instead, I’m coming with you.

  “You see,” Aden continued, rubbing the back of his head, “I talked to Sume the other day and had time to think about things. When King Agartes announced that we were to march against Drusgaya—not just the Baidhan mercenaries, as we were first told—I realized that I couldn’t just sit by and pretend that not doing anything will get me out of this unscathed. I was already resigned t
o death back at Fort Oras. I didn’t think twice about helping you when Caiso asked me to. So if they kill me for helping you further, then that’s just something I’ll have to live with, right?” He chuckled at his own joke.

  “Yn Garr might punish your family.”

  “Already sent them a letter the other day, asking them to flee to somewhere safe,” he said. “They might as well. The likelihood of Yn Garr losing against Dageis is high. What if Dageis retaliates against the entire Kag? Kago’s easy pickings.”

  Kefier turned to Abel. “What about you?”

  “What about me?” Abel blinked. “My sister would’ve killed me if they knew I was joining the Boarshind. I gave them a fake hometown. I’m thinking that’s safeguard enough for them.”

  “Listening to us talk like this will be enough to land you in trouble.”

  “I’m thinking it’s too late for me,” Abel said. “Besides, I like the adventures.”

  “Let’s stop guilt-tripping the Commander and pick a boat,” Aden said. He jumped over the pier into one. It rocked under his weight. “I’ve had my eye on this one. Shall we give it a try?”

  They didn’t give Kefier a chance to respond otherwise. They asked him to stand aside while they made preparations. Another Boarshind soldier arrived, saluting Kefier as if he was still in command. He was escorted back to the street to the inn. “Rest easy, Commander,” the man said. Kefier didn’t even know his name.

  Somewhere along the line, the Boarshind had changed.

  He had attributed it to Sthura’s policies, to her attempts to change the Boarshind from a ragtag group of men who would do anything for money into an actual army that could command even Hafod’s respect. But given purpose, how much more could people give? The Boarshind knew they were fodder, yet they had fought like lions at Fort Oras. When everyone had been expecting them to fold, it was the Hafed, in the end, who turned tail.

  Even Kefier himself was not the same boy who had followed Oji back to Cairntown, begging for whatever scraps came his way. He sank into a chair and tried to think about what his friend would have to say to all of this. He had never been happy about having to join the Boarshind. Oji had never said it outright, but the idea had struck him as both distasteful and dishonourable. “If they gave us a chance,” he used to say, “How much better would we be?” Baeddan’s strategy had come down to garnishing the earnings of already-desperate men, which only made them more ruthless and desperate.

  To hear Aden proclaim that he was going against orders, on the basis of principle…and then to have others support him on his decision…

  It was too much for Kefier to wrap his head around. It was a Boarshind that Oji would’ve been proud to be a part of, a legacy befitting of Goran alon gar Kaggawa’s son. He felt a deep longing to talk about it with Sume, even though she had made it clear that talking would be the extent of their relationship from that point on—at least, if they ever saw each other again. She was the only one who could understand.

  The repairs took three days. A soldier fetched him in the dead of the night, bearing a Jinsein sword he claimed one of the mercenaries had donated for the cause. He joined Abel and Aden in the boat, drifting from the shore in moonlight. A group of Boarshind soldiers saluted them from the pier.

  “I wonder if the Hafed soldiers suspected,” Abel said, grinning from ear-to-ear.

  “They don’t care enough about us for that,” Aden replied.

  “Who did you leave in charge?” Kefier asked.

  “Captain Eswenna,” Aden said. “One’s death, another’s promotion. I wonder if Robaz would be pleased.”

  The journey along the coastline to get them across the Gorenten strait took another four days. Knowing what was waiting for them in Drusgaya, they chose not to travel all the way, stopping at a small village instead. A fog of disbelief had settled over the inhabitants. They spotted no soldiers on the streets.

  “They’ve all been sent to Drusgaya,” a shopkeeper had said, when Kefier asked about their absence. “It was attacked two days ago.”

  Kefier and Aden exchanged glances. “Tell us what happened,” Kefier said.

  “We’re not sure,” the shopkeeper replied. “They descended on Drusgaya in the night. The Hafed army, I was told—or Baidh. We don’t know. Their fleet entered the channel, going for the residential districts along the south. They destroyed the bridges. There was no time for the guards to react.”

  “How did that happen?” Kefier asked. “I thought the Dageian army was a lot stronger than that.”

  The man shook his head. “Most of the barracks are in the city south of Drusgaya, across the bridge. The palace guards—I’m told they were overwhelmed by a creature that destroyed one of the towers in the palace district. The King of Hafod and his men have overtaken the palace and are holding Emperor Cerknar hostage. High General Pollus is attempting negotiations, but…”

  “They don’t know how to react,” Aden told Kefier, after he paid for their food and drew away. “Nothing like this has ever happened in all of their history, I bet.”

  “So he destroyed the bridges to prevent the rest of the military from reaching them,” Kefier said. “That will only work for now. It won’t be long before they come up with a plan. There’s tens of thousands of Dageian soldiers to how many Yn Garr has at his disposal.”

  “But don’t forget the one screeching hellspawn,” Aden pointed out. “It makes all the difference.”

  “It can still be killed, Aden,” Kefier said. “And somewhere there, my daughter is being used to help control it. Once the Dageian mages reach them, they’ll kill her, too.” Hearing his own thoughts said filled Kefier with a sense of despair.

  The road to Halfmoon Bay was blocked by rows of Dageian soldiers, marching from the southern towns. Kefier found that they were largely ignored—something about the beast’s appearance had filled the Dageians with trepidation. He caught a conversation that hinted at the Dageians’ dependence on the agan, and how there were rumours that the beast’s appearance was distorting the flow of it around Drusgaya.

  Kefier didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. He heard the soldiers talk, sensed the fear as they reached Halfmoon Bay, but he only wanted to find Enosh and Sume and rescue Rosha. Was it the same feeling that spurred Yn Garr forward, making him blind to everything else he did? The man had asked him to understand, as a father. In light of that, it was difficult to regard someone else’s suffering.

  “I heard at the gates that there’s mages meeting at the town hall,” Aden said.

  “Enosh is part of the Enji-ar,” Kefier replied. “He’ll be there. You don’t have to go with me all the way, Aden.”

  “Listen to this guy,” Aden told Abel. “We’re right behind you, Commander.”

  “Commander of nothing,” Kefier grumbled. The town hall was not too far away from the gates, which was marked by a giant fountain that sported dancing columns of water, or so the placard by the steps indicated. It was dry, now. Kefier caught sight of a figure sitting at the edge of the low stone wall surrounding the fountain.

  He strode up to the man. “You always find the most poetic places to sit on,” Kefier said. “Do you do it on purpose?”

  “Yes,” Caiso said, looking up at him with his fist under his jaw. His eyes brightened. “I was wondering if I’d ever see you again.”

  “You ever wonder about me, Caiso?” Aden asked, striding from behind Kefier.

  “You don’t want to know,” Caiso grinned. He got up. “I have to be honest—I was hoping you’d show up sooner rather than later. We’ve defected. We’re fighting on the Dageian side of things now, just long enough to shake this rat off of our legs. Would you mind taking the burden of being commander off of my shoulders?”

  Kefier blinked at him.

  Caiso patted his back. “Good man. Now, the first order of business, Commander Kefier…” He pointed at the town hall. “They’re having a meeting in there. I walked out because I could no longer stomach it. They’re fighting over which part
s of this woman they’re supposed to lop off first. Good luck.”

  Kefier frowned, but he started walking up the path. He didn’t even have to think about it anymore. The first time he had accepted the mantle of leadership, it was because he had been forced into it. But that moment was long gone.

  Aden and Abel stayed behind as Kefier strode into the doors, followed by Caiso. Two Dageian soldiers blocked them. “Let him through,” Caiso said. “This is Commander Kefier of the Boarshind, come back from the dead. Well, near-dead.”

  The handful of people clustered inside the hall did not even notice their arrival. Kefier caught sight of Jarche standing in the middle. She was bound.

  “Yn Garr is threatening to kill the Emperor if Dageis marches against Drusgaya,” Caiso said in a low voice as a soldier led them to the fringes of the room. “Some of them think that torturing that ka-eng will make Yn Garr back down.”

  “That man who just entered—” Kefier recognized Bannal’s voice and felt a shiver run through him. He should’ve expected him, of course. The crowd parted. After a moment, Kefier stepped forward to meet him.

  “Kefier Tar’elian,” Bannal said. He looked almost overjoyed. “If you will not use Enosh Tar’elian or this ka-eng as a bargaining chip, will you not have qualms in using an escaped slave? We have done worse things to them.”

  “We will be torturing no one, Bearer Kastor,” a woman said. Kefier recognized Keeper Ceres.

  Bannal shook his head. “You would throw away our advantages, even after one just strode into this room.”

  “Try that and see if we don’t retaliate,” Caiso broke in. “We’ll fight to the last man. We’ll lose, but think about the blow to your morale.”

  “We have protocol,” Keeper Solat broke in. “That is the end of this discussion, Bearer Kastor. Keeper Ceres, I propose that we proceed with the plan originally proposed by the Boarshind. Commander Caiso—”

  “Captain Caiso, actually,” Caiso said. “Commander Kefier has arrived to relieve me of command. Commander Kefier, please tell them how we plan to launch a counterassault against Drusgaya tonight. We’ll sneak across the inlet by boats small enough to be inconspicuous. They do not yet know that the Boarshind have turned against them—we’ve left some men behind who’ve been covering up for us—which will allow us to infiltrate the palace. A few Dageian soldiers and mages can join us in disguise.”