Tears of War

by A. D. Trosper

  “Yaden will not fail. He and his family have already begun.”

  “Barden,” Grandme came striding around the barn. “Leave Sonja alone. I approved of Yaden. Do you really think my judgment so bad that I would approve a man who would be incapable of finishing a house in a year? Do you think I would really approve a man who would not be good for Sonja?”

  Barden flushed a little. “I didn’t say that, mother. I was merely—”

  “Doing what you’ve been doing since Sonja came to me with who she wished to dance for.” The old woman drove her finger into Barden’s chest. “Just because you don’t care for his father is no reason for you to constantly disparage Sonja’s choice. The man I approved.”

  Barden grumbled something under his breath then said. “Why don’t we go in?” He looked over at Maleena, Mckale, and Anevay. “You must be tired. Have you eaten?”

  Mckale shook his head. “Not since the morning meal.”

  Maleena’s mouth watered, she had missed the slices of ham they ate in the mornings in Calladar. “I can’t wait until the morning meal tomorrow.”

  Barden laughed. “You’ll not have to wait. Kaden is on patrol, so there is actually still a slice of ham left from this morning.

  Maleena walked toward the house, enjoying the soothing emotions of Mckale’s family. Though sometimes overwhelming, the emotions were generally happy and peaceful. Her mind wandered to the little house tucked into the woods outside of Lowden. Had anyone taken it over or did it sit abandoned and lonely? How badly did the Kojen tear it up? One day, she would have to return.

  As they sat at the table, Mckale and Barden filled plates for Maleena and Anevay. Anevay raised an eyebrow and Maleena quickly explained the custom. Barden settled into a chair and cleared his throat. “I’m sure you are hoping for some time to relax, but the ball planned to celebrate the arrival of Guardian dragons was rescheduled and is now fast approaching. I am to send a message the minute you arrived back. Lord Arandrall wants you to tour the training grounds and the city so people can have a chance to see and meet you. The outlying towns have had that chance but the people of Marden not so much.

  Maleena took a bite of the ham, savoring its flavor. She’d rather hoped they would miss the ball. Now they were supposed to tour the city as well and meet more people. Well, at least she was getting used to meeting people. Maleena reached out for Nydara just for the mental touch. The silver was hunting, far into the mountains.

  The baby kicked as it always did when she reached for Nydara as if it too enjoyed the mental touch. Would the babe have any magic? Would it hatch a dragon one day? The thought weighed on her mind as the conversation between the others flowed around her. One of Emallya’s children had been born without a spark of magic. Emallya had outlived that child and many of that child’s descendants. Because of the War of Fire, she had outlived all three of her children. Even without the war though, she would have outlived all but one of them. Mages lived longer, but not nearly so long as a Dragon Rider. Maleena couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for Emallya to watch her children grow old while she had remained youthful.

  The baby kicked again and she absently rubbed her belly and prayed the Fates saw fit to make this child a Dragon Rider.

  Two days later Mckale, Maleena, Anevay and Lord Arandrall walked through the training grounds. They had toured the city the day before and met so many people it made Maleena’s head ache. Today wasn’t so bad; the Border Guards were well-trained and disciplined, mostly going about their tasks as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

  Arandrall kept a running commentary for Maleena and Anevay’s sake, explaining the purpose of different areas. Maleena didn’t pay much attention to the constant descriptions until the words “captured Kojen” caught her attention.

  “I’m sorry Arandrall, my mind wandered a bit. Can you repeat that?”

  “Certainly.” Arandrall smiled at her. “I said our next stop is the pit. As you know, we train Border Guards to put up mental walls to protect against the mind attacks of the Kojen. The final stage of that training is to confront an actual Kojen. You can’t learn to defend against an opponent in a swordfight without having an opponent to train against. The same applies to the Kojen. A Border Guard in training can spend hours learning to build mental walls, but until he is faced with having to hold that wall against a mental attack while still using his weapons at the same time, he won’t know how solid his training is.”

  They stopped in front of a gate set in a wall. “We capture and keep a couple of Kojen in order to train new Border Guards or provide a refresher course for any who have been injured and unable to patrol for a while.”

  Arandrall produced a set of keys and unlocked the gate. Maleena stepped onto a small platform. Another wall, this one about waist high, greeted her. To her left and right, a walkway ran at ground level around a large pit. There were two gates in the low wall, each one with a ladder next to it.

  Maleena peered over the wall into the pit. At least twenty paces deep and over a hundred paces across, it must have taken forever to dig. Arandrall stopped next to her and looked into the pit. “Here we can control the outcome of a trainee’s battle. If he is unable to defend his mind and succumbs, we can render the Kojen unconscious and rescue our man. The Kojen remains chained at all times so that his movements are restricted. This allows our trainees to learn to fight two battles at once. One battle, as you know, is the physical one, while the other is the mental one.”

  He pointed at two large, iron cage doors set across from each other in the wall of the pit. “We usually keep two. Kojen are not particularly good at fighting, depending mostly on their mental attacks to bring down or at least handicap their opponent. A dual battle is good since it more closely simulates what a Border Guard will encounter on patrols. It is reserved for those on the last level of training. One of our current Kojen though gives the trainees a hard run.”

  Mckale frowned slightly. “Why is that?”

  Arandrall rubbed his chin and Maleena sensed he was thinking over his answer. “He is a strange one. He never uses a mental attack for one thing and for another he is extremely skilled with whatever weapon we place in his hand.”

  Maleena turned that over in her mind as several young men in full battle gear filed onto the walkway around the pit. They circled the pit until they stood on the far side near one of the ladders. Arandrall stood up straight. “I arranged this tour to coincide with the training of high level students. Those young men are close to becoming full-fledged Border Guards.

  Anevay frowned. “Do we have to watch this?”

  Arandrall shook his head. “Of course not, but I wanted you to have the opportunity if you so wished.”

  Maleena stared down into the pit. Something tickled the back of her mind. “I will stay and watch,” she said without looking up.

  Anevay leaned back against the higher wall behind them. “I might as well stay then, but I probably won’t watch much of it.”

  Across from them an older man unlocked the low gate and lowered down the ladder. One young man stepped through the opening and slowly climbed down the rungs to the dirt floor of the pit as his age-mates called encouragement.

  Once he stepped off the ladder, it was pulled up and the gate closed. Maleena watched as the man below set himself, his blades already drawn. On the walkway, several of the young men moved to the chains that ran through a pulley and into the wall. The heavy chains rattled across the stone as they pulled.

  Below, the cage doors slowly slid up revealing darkness beyond. A loud roar split the morning as one of the Kojen charged out, a thick manacle around one ankle. The mindless emptiness of its thoughts skated along the outside of the dragon shield. The Kojen reached the end of the chain and momentarily stumbled. It swung the wooden sword in its hand at the man.

  Maleena watched the other door as the next Kojen came out. His movements were slow and methodical; he didn’t roar or rush to the end of his chain. She sucked in a breath
as his emotions hit her. Frustration, anger, and determination. He didn’t use mental attacks because he wasn’t a Kojen.

  Without thinking, she turned and ran around the walkway to where the older man stood at the gate, watching the battle unfold. “You have to stop this, now.”

  He turned to her with a startled look that softened as he took her in. “It will be alright, my lady. I won’t allow the young man to be seriously injured.”

  He thought she was worried about the man. “Open this gate.”

  Mckale, Anevay, and Arandrall had caught up with her. Mckale placed his hand on her arm. “Maleena, there is a Kojen down there. It isn’t safe.”

  She shot him a glare. “Mckale, open this gate or so help me I will give you a headache that will last a week.” Her face softened. “Please.”

  He stood for a moment as if weighing his options. “Are you certain of this?”

  Arandrall gasped. “Mckale, what are you thinking of doing? You can’t let her down there, she’ll be killed.”

  Maleena narrowed her eyes at him. “I may not be excellent with a sword, but I am hardly defenseless.” She turned back to Mckale and laid her hand on his cheek. “I am more than certain. Trust me.”

  With a sigh, he reached over and placed his hand against the iron lock.

  Anevay gasped. “Mckale, have you lost your mind? I can’t heal death!”

  Maleena watched him weave a little of his power into it. With a click, the gate swung open. The older man gaped at him. “What are you doing?”

  Mckale’s silver eyes hardened. “What needs to be done, Sword Master.”

  Maleena turned to the man. “Lower the ladder.”

  The Sword Master backed up, his hands in the air. “I will take no part in this.”

  Arandrall gripped Mckale’s shoulder. “Mckale, I beg of you, stop this foolishness. I have no wish to watch your bondmate killed. Nor do I wish her dragon to kill my Kojen defending her. You know the risks the Border Guards must go through to capture Kojen.”

  Mckale pulled free of his grasp, grabbed the ladder and lowered it into the pit where the combatants battled on, oblivious to what was unfolding on the walkway. Mckale turned iron-gray eyes on Maleena. “I go first.”

  Maleena didn’t argue; it would have been pointless anyway. She followed him down the ladder with quick steps.

  When she reached the bottom, she turned and walked toward the man and the Kojen that towered over him with Mckale on her heels. The young man caught sight of her. “What are you doing here?” He looked wide-eyed at Mckale. “Get out!” Panic edged his voice.

  The true Kojen saw her and charged faster than the trainee could think to attempt a defense. Mckale pulled his swords and moved to intercept, but her hand on his arm stayed him. Maleena didn’t even flinch. She slammed a weave into its mind. With a low whine it crumpled to the ground unconscious at her feet.

  The young man stared at Maleena open-mouthed, just out of range of his other opponent. Not that he needed to worry, the other one stood just as still and also staring at her.

  She looked at the trainee and then up to the walkway. “That is a Kojen.” She pointed at the one on the ground. “He had no emotions, no real thoughts, only bloodlust.” Maleena turned and walked toward the other.

  The young man held out his hand as she passed, the gesture almost pleading. “My lady…”

  Maleena sidestepped his hand and came to a stop directly in front of the other towering creature. Though she was within arm’s reach of the big male, she felt no fear of him and she sensed none in him. Even the anger had subsided and was now replaced with curiosity, though the frustration still remained. He was fairly young. He didn’t look as fully developed as Hakan or the other men of the Ke’han she had met, nor were the curling horns as heavy.

  She looked up at him. “This is not a Kojen,” she called to those on the walkway then addressed the big male directly, “You are a Ke’han.”

  Surprise flowed through the Ke’han as he stared at her and nodded. Maleena turned and looked up at Arandrall and spoke with barely controlled anger in her voice. How could they not realize he was different? “A Ke’han is not a beast. They are a tribe with traditions, customs, and beliefs. They have families. They love, they feel, and they are not mindless. The Ke’han can’t attack mentally, that is why he has never attacked that way. That ability came when Galdivan rounded up and captured many of the Ke’han and twisted them into what you know as the Kojen.”

  Mckale looked at Arandrall. “She speaks the truth. We met a band of them on our way here. They said they are often mistaken for Kojen.”

  Arandrall looked at Maleena and back to Mckale. “They said. You mean they can speak?”

  Mckale nodded and Arandrall shook his head. “This one,” he pointed to the Ke’han in front of Maleena, “has never made a sound. If he is not a Kojen, then why did he never say anything?”

  Maleena looked up at the Ke’han. “Can you speak at all?” The big male slowly shook his head and she picked up mounting frustration. “I use Spirit magic. It’s similar to what your Shamas use. Do you mind if I use my magic to try and sort out why you can’t talk?”

  After a long moment the Ke’han signaled his consent. Maleena sent a tendril of Spirit magic toward him, unsure if it would even work. She sensed Ke’han’s emotions but their minds worked differently than any other minds she had encountered; perhaps a natural protection of some sort.

  She stood before him for some time, her mind wholly focused on the Ke’han as she attempted to follow the strange and unfamiliar paths in his mind. Every now and then colors would flicker as something almost like thoughts nearly came to the surface. Pain slowly built in her temples from the effort of probing his mind.

  Suddenly a battle scene burst into her head. Border Guards swarmed around her and her younger brother. Three little desert deer, the result of the day’s hunt, lay tossed to the side as she fought for her life. Anguish closed over her heart as her brother went down on the sword of a Border Guard. She cried out as something crashed into the back of her head and dropped to her knees as the world spun. Her hands were roughly bound behind her back. In front of her, her brother’s blood spilled into the sand. The grief built into a roar of sorrow. She threw her head back and shouted her heartache to the sky. It was cut short by a sword hilt smashing into her throat.

  She doubled over wheezing and gasping as she tried to draw a breath through the crushing injury. She tried to gasp out a question to her captors but all that came out was a rasping sound.

  The memory-vision faded slightly as time rushed forward and the raspy sound slowly weakened until there was nothing left. The blow to the throat had stolen her voice.

  Maleena’s eyes flew open. Her heart pounded wildly as she pulled in a grateful breath.

  Mckale pulled her into his arms. His silver eyes, full of worry, searched hers. “What happened?”

  Maleena took a few more deep breaths to slow her heart. The baby kicked and she ran a hand over her belly, sending soothing emotions to it. When she felt steadier, Maleena stepped back. “Their thoughts and memories, once accessed, are quite strong.” She looked up at Arandrall. “This Ke’han can’t speak because your men damaged his vocal chords when he cried out his grief over his brother that your men killed.”

  “Mckale,” she turned to her bondmate. “Please, release him from his chains.”

  The Sword Master shouted down at them. “No. You can’t release that thing. He will try to kill all of us. We have many young trainees here there are not up to facing a Kojen.”

  Maleena turned slowly, her eyes hard. “He is not a thing. He is a Ke’han. He is not a Kojen. Haven’t you listened to a word I said?”

  “You are insane!” The Sword Master yelled.

  Disgusted, Maleena wove the memory-vision into a magic weave and threw it at the Sword Master. His eyes blanked as he stood there gasping.

  “What did you do?” Arandrall asked, a frown on his face.

  Malee
na glanced at him. “He is seeing and feeling what I just saw and felt. It won’t harm him in any way and it will help him see that this is not a Kojen.”

  Mckale bent down and placed his hand on the shackle. The metal responded to his magic by separating and stretching until it was a straight piece. The Ke’han bent and rubbed his ankle then stood and held his palm out to Mckale.

  Mckale laid his palm on the Ke’han’s. “I am Mckale, rider of the Green dragon Tellnox and a Guardian of Galdrilene.”

  The Ke’han tried to mouth something and stopped. Maleena felt his frustration rise again. “May I try to get your name from your thoughts?”

  He nodded and she reached out with her magic again. This time it was easier and gentler. The name floated to the surface. She smiled and held out her palm, “Hello Hesutu, I’m Maleena, rider of the Silver dragon Nydara and a Guardian of Galdrilene.”

  Hesutu placed his palm on hers and nodded his head, his black eyes relieved.

  “Come with us. It’s time you were returned to your people.”

  The trainee backed away as they crossed the pit. Arandrall and the Border Guards on the walkway made room as they came up the ladder. The Sword Master studied Hesutu with a frown on his face. “I’m truly sorry. I had no idea…”

  The head of the Council of Nine stared up at the Ke’han, his eyes wide. He turned to Maleena and Mckale. “I think we need to have an emergency meeting of the Council. Would this…Ke’han be willing to join us? It would seem we have much to discuss.”

  Maleena looked up at Hesutu who nodded. “This Ke’han has a name, Lord Arandrall. It is Hesutu. Just as you would prefer to be addressed by your name rather than ‘this person,’ so would he appreciate it.”

  “Of course.” He nodded to the Ke’han. “My apologies, Hesutu. This is most unusual for us.”

  The young warriors stared in shocked silence as they led the Ke’han passed them. Several cries of alarm filled the training yard outside the wall of the pit when they exited with what many thought was a Kojen.