by K. E. Young
I still had a few things to work out, but I was tired and I had enough to go to the Emperor with for now. It would be a good idea to let him know we were making progress.
I thought on the Arboren. They were demon summoners with not just orange, but red hair. Blood red. It reminded me of Dragos' story. Dagresh had orange hair. So did Fanul, but the Master's hair was the deep red color from the stories. I had thought it was the light, but now I didn't think so. It seemed the original name of Hyush's Children wasn't as lost as everyone believed.
I stood up and looked at Captain Blas. His eyed widened in surmise and I nodded. He waved at his men and we trekked to the same room I had been in the first night. I held the manual tightly in my hand. I wouldn't let it out of my sight. When we arrived we found Kaio, Dragos, Sano, Gelal, and Urash were sitting and talking.
"Sara?" Kaio's voice was hopeful too.
"Found it. As you know, the Atlani came here fleeing a disaster in their own world. They arrived in a land ruled by red-haired demon summoners. 'Blood-maned' as the chronicles describe them. Dragos called them Hyush's Children but the original name was Arboren. These Arboren were despots who ruled through fear and violence. They knew pretty much everything there was to know about demons and their manipulation, how to summon them, how to change them, and how to control them. The Atlani called these changed demons Val'Ar Arboren, Servants of the Arboren. At some point, the name shortened to valbore.
The Atlani refugees deposed them out of self-defense and destroyed their libraries. They were fighting for their lives. In the end, they wiped the Arboren out. Or so they thought. A thousand years ago, the first whispers of accusation came from unknown persons who disappeared before the Mage-King forces could question them. People with red hair."
I held up the book. "However, it seems one of those original Atlani translated an Arboren demon manual before they were all destroyed. It got lost. There's a note in the front stating that they needed to bring it to Commander Maxil's attention, whoever he was. Evidently, it never happened. The Mage-Kings had the answers they needed the whole time. The valbore that the Accusers created were a mistake. They were trying to recreate the Arboren servants and messed it up. I have a good idea of where they went wrong, but there are still unanswered questions. Questions I will need to answer in order to figure out how to dismantle them. I suspect that the easiest way to get rid of it is to fix it. Make it into the servant the Accusers wanted it to be, and then destroy it. It turns out Valbore aren't immortal. You can kill them. You just have to know how. I'll warn you. It's sickening stuff to read."
Urash looked stunned. "You did it. You found a way to destroy them."
Kaio looked smug. "I told you that if anyone could do it, it's Sara. Now we can break the bond between her and it."
I took a deep breath. He would hate this part. "We can't do that. I'll need it." I held a hand up to forestall his objection. "A Val'Ar Arboren can be commanded or destroyed only by its bonded master. Right now, no one else is bound to that thing." I took another deep breath. "So I'm the only one who can destroy it."
Silence reigned.
Gelal shifted in his seat. "Red hair. The Vallen royals have red hair. All of them do. Corthis, Marin and Derrelat too."
Sano nodded. "As did Dagresh and Fanul. Actually, Fanul still does. He's down in the dungeon waiting for execution." Sano's easy smile echoed Gelal's sudden grin.
"That's good to know. I wonder how many others have red hair. Something for Kaio to look into when he has time."
"The original Arboren were highly accomplished, evil but accomplished. In contrast, the Accusers were awful. Half educated at best. The modern Arboren are a joke with delusions of grandeur. They're following a recipe with little understanding of what the recipe is for or how it works. It's amazing it works at all. From what I remember from meeting their valbore and what I've read over the last few days, at least half of what they're doing has no use or effect. The trap, however, is elegant and rather ingenious. Those Mage-Kings knew what they were doing too."
I stopped and looked around. "Sorry. I'm babbling. I'm still tired from the river."
Gelal chuckled. "And it is later than you think, my lady. We were discussing whether we should disturb you. When Kaio poked his head in to check on you a few minutes ago you didn't even realize he was there. It distressed him, even if he won't admit it." Gelal's smile was warm.
Urash smiled. "Yes. Not that I blame him. Go take care of your Lady, Kaio. Sara, there is time enough tomorrow or the day after to plan what needs to happen. We'll meet after breakfast."
When we exited the keep, Kaio told me the camp location had changed and shifted to his other self. I climbed into his paw and we flew back to the city. Fortunately, the heights didn't bother me as much this time. Kaio's presence in my mind let me know I was safe. It helped that I kept my eyes closed.
He landed in a cleared area on the far side of the city. Captain Blas and his men formed up around us and we threaded our way through the new tent city. As we walked, we developed a following and people lined the path. As we passed, each person bowed, even the men. They didn't speak.
I hated attention and this unnerved me. "Kaio?"
He rubbed my back comfortingly. "It's all right, Sara. They won't hurt you. They want to show you their gratitude for what you did at the river."
The people at the dragonkin camp bowed too, but I had thought it was because they still thought I would be Empress. Maybe I was wrong. "Oh." I chanced a small smile at a young woman and her son and received broad, happy smiles and a wave from the boy in return. I began to relax. Maybe attention wasn't always bad.
Eventually, we came to Zenra's distinctive tents and Kaio ushered me into the dining tent. "Why did we move camp?"
Kaio grinned. "I asked my father if your theory might have merit and he agreed. There's so little magic in the Waste that recovery would be slow, so I asked my mother to move the camp. The mages are moving too. It's possible the Arboren will find it easier to get to you here, but it's critical you recover properly before we face the valbore. If we stayed in the Waste, there's a chance you never would. I wish we had realized it might be a problem earlier."
After dinner, Kaio took me back to our tent and dismissed Samra saying he wished to care for me himself. Instead of helping me with my nightgown, he bade me lie down on the bed face down. I paused for a moment, but I knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt me so I did as he asked.
He covered me with a soft blanket so I didn't get cold and massaged my feet. If this is how he wanted to care for me I was all for it. I remembered that wonderful scalp massage when he had bathed me and I smiled in delight. This would be good. He paid careful attention to every inch of me. It felt wonderful, even when it hurt. There were still a few spots he had to avoid because they weren't healed enough yet. The muscles had been tight for so long they didn't even remember how to relax. When he finished, I felt woozy and warm, limp as a noodle. He helped me into my nightgown, undressed, and curled up behind me.
Kaio: 36th of Hunting, 3837
Kaio woke early and looked down at Sara. She looked better this morning. The dark shadows under her eyes had faded and she looked less gaunt. Perhaps one more day without the healing assists. Her brows were drawn. As if she were thinking hard even in her sleep. He smoothed a fingertip over the groove and her expression cleared, then she roused.
Her eyes opened and she smiled. "I was dreaming about valbore."
Kaio chuckled. "I can think of much more pleasant things to dream about."
"Oh, it wasn't about what happened in the sewers. More general. My head is trying to figure out how the Accusers did it. It takes a lot of power to make something like that. They're almost pure energy but you need a template for that energy, that's why the sacrifices are needed. The energy of a person or animal is already patterned for life and thought.
Anyway, the Arboren would sacrifice a hundred or more slaves to make a single Servant, yet the Accusers made at least eleven of
them in a short time. There was no record of the loss of over a thousand people all at once. Or more. From what we can determine, a valbore may be more powerful than a Val'Ar Arboren. So how?"
"Maybe they used animals?"
"Same problem. Slaughter over a thousand large animals and someone will notice and write it down. Those Mage-Kings wrote everything down."
"Maybe they slaughtered a lot of different animals. It would be easier to hide."
"Then you run into a different problem. The Arboren manual warns that they all have to be the same kind. Ren says the differences in life forces means they would interfere with each other and could shatter the valbore as it is being created, or cause the process to fail completely. Either way, the backlash would have killed the mage and left a significant hole in the landscape. Again, it's something the Mage-Kings would have written about."
"Huh. I can see why you were dreaming about valbore now. I can still think of more pleasant things to dream about though."
She laughed. "Maybe later. Right now, this is important."
He kissed her nose. "How do you feel this morning?"
"Much better. Thank you for moving camp. The Waste feels so odd I don't think I rested well there."
He dropped a kiss on her hair and swung his legs out of bed. "Get dressed my love. I'll send for breakfast."
Sara: 36th of Hunting, 3837
My mind continued to work at it. I knew I had the answer. It was right there, just out of reach. I skimmed over everything I had learned whether it pertained to the problem or not and pieces began to fall into place. Then it hit me.
I knew what happened. "Oh hell!"
"Sara?" I looked up and saw Kaio looking concerned.
"I think I know how they did it. Those fools." I paused for a moment. I needed to be sure. "There's something I need to check on before I talk to the Emperor."
"Breakfast should be here soon. We'll go to the archive when you've eaten. I'll let the Emperor know you're delayed."
I nodded and let Samra finish getting me ready. While I ate heartily, for the life of me I couldn't tell you what it was. The enormity of the Accuser's mistake overrode all other thought.
When I got to the archive, I went to the records of the Accuser conflict before the valbore appeared. The answers I got led me to a long, intense, whispered consultation with Ren. Two hours later, I looked up at Captain Blas' second and waved him over. Until we faced the valbore, this would have to go into a compartment in my mind so Kaio couldn't see it through the bond. I hoped Kaio could forgive me for what I had to do.
✽ ✽ ✽
Urash stepped into the library accompanied by his guards.
His face was serious, as if he suspected what I had to say was unpleasant. "I assume you have a reason for saying you needed to speak to me alone?"
"I needed to talk to you without Kaio being there. Or anyone who would tell him what we talk about. He'll be upset about…" My hand wiped my face, uncertain of Kaio's reaction. I didn't want to lose him.
"We know how they made the valbore. More importantly, we know what we have to do to destroy it. Kaio can't know the details."
Urash stared at me thoughtfully. "You realize if you die, Kaio will too, right? His dragon has imprinted on you."
I sighed and shook my head. "I shouldn't die unless I mess things up completely. The problem is something he swore on his honor to prevent has to happen. If he knows about it, he'll do everything he can to stop it, no matter what the cost is."
Urash expression cleared. "Ah. I understand now. I'll go send him off to declare war on Vallen then. That should keep him occupied for a while."
I gaped. "You're declaring war on Vallen? Now?"
Urash grinned brightly. "It had to happen sometime."
In that moment, I remembered Urash was still a teenager.
Kaio: 36th of Hunting, 3837
Kaio listened as the Emperor and General Istanetlu argued strategy. They needed to face the valbore soon. The people needed to go home and take up their lives. A temporary camp in the middle of winter was no place for children. If they didn't resolve things soon then sickness would become an issue. Zenra was organizing the effort to build up the healers' stocks of remedies for food poisoning and other common illnesses.
Topping it all off, the Vallen ambassador was pushing to allow Valleni troops into Therys so they could 'help evacuate the people'. The ambassador was another one with red hair. His agents had informed him those troops were already on board ships headed to Therysal. The last thing they needed right now was more Arboren sticking their fingers in.
The Emperor listened to the whispered words of a guard. He nodded sharply and stood, hurrying from the room.
A few minutes later, he came back. "Kaio, I need you to grab the Vallen ambassador, take him out to those troop ships, and inform him we don't require the aid of the Arboren to deal with this valbore. Take sufficient troops to make an impression. Make sure they turn back. Use force if you have to."
Kaio's eyes widened in shock but he also felt the fierce feral joy of his dragon at the opportunity to face those who caused the death of so many of his people, so many of his own ancestors. He had heard the Emperor's declaration of Ikkim-Daymu. The Arboren had sacrificed the best of Drakken repeatedly over the past eight hundred years and more. Thousands of lives poured onto the altar of another's greed and arrogance.
The Emperor's words struck a nerve. Enough was enough. It was a declaration of war in all but protocol. He stood and bowed. "Yes, your majesty."
Sara: 36th of Hunting, 3837
I stepped into the Emperor's war room with Ren at my heels. "I still can't believe you're declaring war on Vallen now."
Urash pulled out a chair for me. "If it comes now, Vallen will be… confused. It might make them a little more cautious. Less prepared for a time. Besides, this will be over soon one way or another and the troops are already here so deploying them will be easy. The troops are already aware we have an enemy that would think nothing of calling a valbore to gain its ambitions. It makes them angry. They feel used and rightly so. Most lost family in Vallen. Our forces are extremely focused. I hope they don't immediately call up another valbore though."
I shook my head dismissively. "They won't be able to. I couldn't have Kaio in the room because of how we'll destroy the valbore. The Accusers used the energy of the Waste itself and everything living thing in it to create the valbore. To destroy it, I need to alter the valbore, make it into the Val'Ar Arboren the Accusers wanted then dismantle it. Valbore are energy-based beings. That energy needs to go somewhere and the one place capable of absorbing it is the Waste. In order to get the valbore to the Waste without letting it free, I need to establish control over it — and become its steed. Otherwise, we risk a high chance of it breaking free."
Everyone in the room was stunned. Dragos spoke first. "I see why Kaio couldn't be here. He swore he would never allow you to become its steed. Will the valbore be able to control you at that point?"
I had already thought about that. "Not as long as I stay strong. It's been in my mind before, or at least a shadow or echo of it. I know what to expect. By then it'll be a true Val'Ar Arboren so it'll be controllable.
I took a deep breath. "Dragos, I have so much to live for now I didn't have before. I can hold on as long as I need to. I'm stubborn. However, Urash, my friend, I may need your ability to blur memories. I don't expect this to be at all fun."
Urash gripped my shoulder. "It won't be fun for any of us I suspect. We should work out the details before Kaio gets back. He's extremely competent so we won't have that long."
Kaio: 36th of Hunting, 3837
Kaio made his way through the busy camp as he thought about his task. His dragon rode close to the surface. It was nearly hissing in its fury. Considering how people made way for him to pass, he thought it was more than a little plain to others too. His dragon had always been more curious, open, and interested in the world than most. It hated constraint and manipulati
on and reacted to the Arboren using the Drakkeni as a tool with hostility.
On the surface, his Emperor's orders were straightforward, but he had spent enough time with Dragos in their youth to know it was never that simple. His time as spymaster to Rhal and then Dragos had reinforced that knowledge. He could simply pick up the ambassador, inform him of the Emperor's message, and drop him onto one of the ships. But that didn't send the right message. It lacked the dignity the occasion deserved.
He raised his voice so all could hear him over the general clamor of the camp. "I am Prince Shalatu Kaio. I need twelve volunteers to help me fulfill my Emperor's command! All battle tested against the last valbore." His eyes swept the crowd gathering around him. "We go to declare war on those who caused the death of your brethren twenty-four years ago."
The words were electrifying to these warriors. Silence reigned for a moment before voices rose in an uproar. A mob of older warriors soon surrounded Kaio demanding he allow them to accompany him on his duty. His troop would be heavy with officers, but he was still the one in command so it did not matter. They deserved this. They all did.
He quickly sorted out who would come with him. He and the warriors who would accompany him to collect the ambassador changed into formal uniform. Four were to escort him to gather the ambassador. The rest were to prepare and wait on the coast barely out of sight of the troop ships.
They made their way to the courtyard where the ambassador held court, their grim bearing causing the crowd to go quiet and part ahead of them. Kaio strode up to the ambassador lounging on a bench talking with the ambassador from Corthis. Kaio spared a moment to consider that the other countries were included in this little declaration even if their representatives weren't kicked out immediately. He was glad he had already ordered some of his people to keep a close watch on them. He hoped the Emperor knew the full scope of what he had done.
