by Guy Antibes
“What are you doing in our town?” one of the Red Herons asked.
“Passing through, basically,” Grigar said. “We were told we wouldn’t be able to rent a room for the night.”
“That is correct. This is our town, and we don’t want your kind here.”
“He doesn’t look like a Masukaian,” Tanner said, pointing to the Black Finger.
“Our friend is an advisor,” the leader said. “He is a powerful wizard.”
“Good for him,” Grigar said. “I am, too, if that counts for anything.”
The Black Finger advisor grunted. “It would if you really were powerful.”
Jack stepped forward. He felt it was time to get this over with. “I’m reasonably powerful myself,” Jack said. He slid his Deep Mist sword from the scabbard.
The leader stared at the sword. “You have been to Deep Mist? A wizard-warrior?”
Jack nodded nonchalantly. “I graduated from there. If you looked at my ranking card, you’d find that I am as powerful as my friend.”
“I don’t believe you,” the Red Heron leader said.
“Suit yourself,” Jack said, trying to irritate the leader. It looked like he was doing an admirable job. “It doesn’t matter what you think.”
“Impudent foreigner.”
“I’m still a Deep Mist wizard-warrior, and my wizard friend is a graduate too. Probably one of their older ones.” Jack slid his sword back into the sheath in his sash. “It is time we left your unfriendly town.”
“Unfriendly to Pearl Mist sympathizers.” The leader turned to the Black Finger. “Do you want to test their power?”
“Of course,” the Black Finger said. He reached down for the wand that was stuck into his boot.
Jack drew his short sword.
“Don’t I deserve the larger weapon?” the Black Finger said as he raised his wand.
Jack fired off a wizard bolt at the man, dropping his enemy in the street.
The Red Herons drew their swords, but Jack held onto the hilt of his long sword and called out the deep mist that Akkora had imbued in the blade. The Red Herons cried out about not being able to see.
Jack put his finger to his lips, and they walked around the persistent cloud of mist, and by the time they were halfway out of the town, Jack stopped the spell.
They finally slowed down at Grigar’s insistence that his horse might be coming up lame. The wizard was breathing more heavily than his horse.
“Black Fingers have no strategic sense,” Tanner said.
“I wasn’t about to test Masukaian armor in that situation,” Jack said. “I didn’t need to talk to him, so—”
“It was self-defense anyway,” Namori said.
“Indeed it was,” Helen snorted. “They are all vermin. Where did you get that spell?” she asked. “I swear they couldn’t find their way out of that cloud.”
“A nice lady let me borrow it. It is imbued into my sword.”
Helen shook her head. “I hesitate to ask. The lady wasn’t Akkora, the goddess, by chance?”
“No chance,” Jack said, wondering how Namori would take his visitation. “It was a gift. Grigar thought it would be a weak spell, but I suppose we didn’t understand it well enough.”
“I guess not,” Grigar said. “Helen is right. Those men couldn’t leave the cloud.”
“Akkora? Really?” Namori said. Her face betrayed her shock.
“I have had a few other chats with the gods,” Jack said. “None with Zukori, however.”
Namori blinked. “If I didn’t see the cloud, I couldn’t accept your claim, but I’ve never seen a spell like that.”
Helen broke into the conversation. “I think there might be some Red Herons behind us. We might want to pick up the pace.”
“Had to rest the horses,” Grigar said, looking a bit sheepish.
That was a lame excuse,” Jack said with a smile.
Grigar cleared his throat. “It was at that.” He laughed and climbed up on his horse.
Everyone smiled, but in the next instant, they were back to galloping down the road.
~
“You must understand, I am experienced fighting the Black Finger Society,” Jack said. “In fact, we all are.”
Torii Ishoru looked displeased from his perch at the head spot in his audience room. “Did you have to kill the man?”
“Our mission was to provoke the Red Herons,” Grigar said. “I think we did a good job of that without killing a Red Heron leader, which, I am sure you will agree, might have been too much provocation.”
“They had to defend themselves. The Black Finger advisor was raising his wand on them.” Ruki Sinda said. “It there is any responsibility to be borne, I will take it. I sent them on the mission.”
Torii glared at the Deep Mist leader. “Without clearing it with Iraishi or myself.”
Ruki pursed his lips, obviously trying to keep his temper in check. “When have the Deep Mist answered to you, Torii?”
“I…” Torii turned to Okiku, but the woman had folded her arms and looked away when his gaze fell on her. He put his hand over his eyes. “We aren’t prepared to fight in Yomomai,” he said.
“You never will be,” Okiku said. “The Pearl Mist will never be ready. It is the nature of our organization. Deep Mist is a different story. We must follow their lead or Takatai Minza’s directions.”
“You are saying that I can’t direct the Pearl Mist fighters?” Torii said.
Okiku nodded her head. “That is exactly what I am saying. We should be cautious, but not timid. I think that your reactions are too much on the timid side, Torii.”
“If not me, then who should lead us?”
Ruki cleared his throat. “We should rule as a council. Let Iraishi facilitate our decisions. You are on the side of caution, and that is important to consider, but these are times when our caution will be swallowed up by bold actions on the part of our foes.”
Torii seemed to grind his teeth. “Should I consider you traitors to the Pearl Mist? I wonder.”
“Let Iraishi decide,” Ruki said. “If you consider me a traitor, I will take the Deep Mist and join the Pine Bears. I don’t say that lightly since I have given my whole life to grow our military arm.”
“This is a revolt.” Torii didn’t seem open to reason.
“What is your leadership strength?” Grigar asked.
Torii raised his eyebrows. “You are going to lecture me?”
“No,” Grigar said. “I want to know. We four have a decision to make, as well. You have lied to us and stalled our errand, so we have had to wait nearly two years before we found out the emperor has the Battlebone. Is deception your strength? Is that the sign of a Masukaian leader? You made Helen and Tanner virtual hostages. Is that a leadership strength? The empire could crumble all around you, and yet you vacillate nearly as bad as the emperor. Is that a strength, mimicking a weak leader?”
“My cousin isn’t weak,” Okiku said.
Grigar turned to her. “Then why is he letting the Red Herons gain influence over his nobles?’
“You don’t understand,” Okiku said.
After taking a deep breath, Grigar shook his head. “You really believe he is acting from a strong position?”
Okiku chewed on her lower lip. It was the first time Jack had ever seen the woman at a loss for words. Grigar’s performance was outstanding. He sat back to enjoy it.
“What gives you the right to talk to us that way?” Torii said, regaining his tongue.
“Akkora, herself, appeared to Jack, or should I say Sakoru Sinda, and imbued his Deep Mist sword.”
“And?” Torii asked.
“And we left that part out of our story.” Grigar turned to Jack. “Didn’t we?”
All eyes turned to Jack. So much for sitting back, Jack thought. “I will demonstrate, and you decide.” He took out his blade and invoked the deep mist spell.
Ruki cried out. “A legend has come alive before our eyes!”
Jack
stopped the spell. “I have had other visitations from other gods,” Jack said. “Each time, it was a few moments of conversation about helping others. This one was no different,” Jack said.
Okiku’s eyes were wide with shock. “The Pearl Mist is named for the spell you just created. I thought it was a myth. I never thought it real. How did it work on the Red Herons?”
“They couldn’t escape the mist,” Tanner said.
“All of us were there. They were unable to walk out of it,” Grigar said.
“What did Akkora say about us?” Torii asked.
Jack thought for a moment. “She didn’t mention you at all. She told me about the origin of the Battlebone and that few could use it. She told me where it is. The emperor does not exactly have it, just as you said.”
“Impossible. How can you know the origin? It is a closely-held secret,” Torii said.
“When the Masukai armies retreated from Bornan, they stole the Battlebone. That was a few thousand years ago,” Jack said. “I won’t tell you where it lies, though. None of you can use it, but I can.”
Okiku shook her head with dismay. “No. No, this can’t be happening. You shouldn’t know these things.”
Ruki looked startled. “Is he correct?”
Okiku nodded.
“Does the deep mist, that is what I call it, not convince you?” Jack asked Ruki.
“I should be the one following you,” Ruki said to Jack.
Jack shook his head. “No, not me. I am only helping out my master here. I can suggest that Iraishi, Ruki, and either Yoki or Takatai form a ruling council of three. Two must concur before a decision is made. That will keep the timid and the most aggressive controlled.”
“You are Akkora-blessed, and Akkora-touched. We should all bow down to you,” Okiku said.
Jack laughed uncomfortably. “No, not me. I’m a likable guy to a few of the gods, that’s all. I am a helper, not a leader over the Masukai.”
“Wise words,” Ruki said. “You dissemble too much, but I know you act when you need to. I will support your proposal. A council of three can have advisors, can’t it?”
Jack nodded. “I’m not one to dictate rules, but I don’t see why not. But if you have too many people charged with making decisions, they don’t get made, or made too late. Corandian history tells me that,” Jack said, glad that his time spent at extended school helped him yet again.
Torii sighed. “Iraishi, me, and a Pine Bear. I will accept your suggestion.”
“Then the council should meet before the day is out,” Okiku said. “I’d like to be an advisor.”
“Each council member can have two advisors attend the meetings,” Torii said. “Will that be acceptable?” He looked at Jack.
“That is a council of essentially nine. I think that is a good number,” Jack said.
Torii nodded. He looked like a man defeated but trying to make the best of his predicament. “I would have Okiku and Keneto Kaseru on my side.”
Jack was surprised about the inclusion of Lord Kaseru since he wasn’t a fully-fledged member of the Pearl Mist, but Okiku and Lord Kaseru were the most politically astute, from what Jack could tell.
Iraishi was still at the academy and arrived before the Pine Bears. “I will have Ruki and Sakoru Sinda as my advisors,” he said. “We need battle expertise and Akkora’s grace in our endeavor.”
When Takatai and Yoki entered, Yoki took the mantle of council member, and he called Takatai and Grigar as his advisors.
“The council is set,” Torii said. “I will defer to Iraishi to set and conduct the meetings.”
Iraishi nodded. “I am satisfied with the council and their advisors. Torii, if you would have someone fetch Lord Kaseru. He still needs to make a decision to join us or not. I assume the others accept their new posts?”
The others, including Jack, nodded.
“Before Keneto arrives, we will discuss the current status of Yomomai. Okiku and Lord Kaseru will tell us of the political situation in the palace when he is with us. Takatai Minza and Ruki Sinda will advise us as to the status of our fighting forces. Sakoru and Gigaru advise on general matters.”
That was fine with Jack since it left him more ability to act than to talk. Grigar could lend them the wisdom of his years, Jack guessed.
Kaseru arrived and formally accepted his position as an advisor to the council. “I’ve been advising the Pearl Mist for years. I don’t see how this is any different.
No one’s report was very specific, but Jack thought that would change. Torii, Iraishi, and Yoki asked good questions, and those would also get better, he hoped. Jack found himself being assigned to walk through the city with another Masukaian. Tanner and Helen would alternate with Simaru, and Grigar would stroll through Yomomai with his old friend Yoki Tirashima. This would be happening while other agents of the alliance were gathering information.
Chapter Thirty-Three
~
J ack could handle the assignment. It might still be dangerous, even if it was a diversion. They hadn’t done much to disguise their identities at the Red Heron town.
Namori ended up as Jack’s partner as they began to stroll the capital’s streets. Jack thought the walking diversions wouldn’t be particularly fruitful.
“We can walk around and still ask questions,” Jack told Namori as they set out. “What good is there exposing ourselves if we can’t come up with any information.”
“You look the part, Deep Mist wizard-warrior,” Namori said. “We have been assigned the northern half of the city on the west side of the palace.”
Jack laughed. “You are right. Have you ever been there? It is opposite from the Pearl Mist academy.”
“All I really know is that it is a long walk, but we can take the river route,” Namori said.
“I didn’t know there was a river route,” Jack said.
“Of course there is. The river is on the western side of the city. It flows north and enters the Riftsea.”
Namori led him west until they reached a poorer section of Yomomai, consisting of smaller houses jammed together on narrower streets. They walked through alleys and lanes, looking for signs of Red Herons, but didn’t find any until they reached the river and the dock area where riverboats brought freight from the south to the capital.
A group of four Red Herons stood at a boat, watching men grappling heavy crates onto the docks. A horse-drawn crane lifted the crates onto flatbed wagons. They walked closer.
“What is in the crates?” Namori asked.
“Shall we find out?” Jack said.
Namori looked at him. “How are you going to do that in plain sight of the Red Herons? If you use your mist spell, they will know who you are.”
“Then let’s not get too close.”
Jack watched the workers attach brackets on the sides of a crate and put hooks from a harness that was attached to the thick rope of the crane. Jack wondered how much levitation strength he had. He concentrated on one hook and tried to slip it off the bracket. Sweat popped out on his forehead, but the hook slipped, and the crate began to list. Jack quickly put his attention to the hook next to it and lifted the crate off.
With the additional strain on the brackets, the weight tore the board off, and a gap in the crate popped open until swords and bits of armor began to clang onto the dock’s stone pavement.
Jack took a deep breath. He didn’t realize how much physical effort levitation caused. He stepped back and leaned against a building to recover, clutching Eldora’s box. His magic wasn’t that depleted, but his strength was diminished.
“Are you all right?” Namori said, her gaze lingering on the panic at the dock.
“Is that illegal?” Jack said nodding toward the Red Herons stuffing the weaponry into bags the sailors tossed onto the dock.
“No,” Namori said, “but it is an important fact, isn’t it?”
Jack nodded, finally recovering his strength. “We will follow the wagon. It would be nice to have Pearl Mist observers k
eeping an eye on where the Red Herons store those.”
They kept about twenty paces behind the wagon. None of the Red Herons accompanied the wagon since their work was not done at the docks.
“Why don’t you continue to follow them? Let me know where they end up with the load. I want to make sure we aren’t being followed,” Jack said, remembering that Helen often did the same thing when they suspected they were being trailed
The cart turned a corner, and when they reached an alley, Jack invoked invisibility and slipped inside. Namori continued on behind the cart. Two of the Red Herons showed up, staying to the shady side of the street opposite from Jack. With their attention ahead of them, Jack followed the followers who followed a follower. He smiled when he thought of it.
He was tempted to capture them in mist, but the street was a larger, wider one and too many people would witness the spell. Jack decided to do something else. He quickly stepped closer to them and drew his short sword. He had to wait for the right circumstances, but he finally had a shot at them. He shot two quick, thin wizard bolts at the heels of their boots and slipped into an alleyway.
When Jack heard yelps, he invoked invisibility and raced ahead to join Namori.
“We won’t have to worry for a while. The Red Herons aren’t going to be able to walk very fast for a few days,” Jack said. “Something happened to them—debilitating, but not overly so.”
“A prank?”
Jack shook his head. “Prank-like. Their heels will hurt for a while.”
Namori stifled a laugh. “A wizard bolt?”
“Perfectly placed,” Jack said with a smile. “The wagon is turning up ahead.”
Their quarry disappeared at the intersection and then slipped into an open gate, which was shut just after it entered.
“You know where this place is?” Jack asked.
Namori looked around. “I do now.”
“Then we need to get out of sight.”
They turned down a small lane and emerged on a larger street. “This will take us to the north end of Yomomai,” Namori said.
“Then we can take a conveyance closer to the Pearl Mist headquarters,” Jack said.
Jack looked to his left to see the palace buildings in the distance. The Battlebone was in that compound, Jack thought. He was that close to being able to leave Masukai and resume his life.
