Mitchell Graham - [Fifth Ring 03] - The Ancient Legacy(V1.0)

by Mitchell Graham

  Betrayal by one's allies was a possibility all monarchs anticipated. He had always known that Vargoth would ac­quire the cannons and black powder, just as other nations would in time. As a result of several well-placed bribes to Felizian sea captains, Alor Satar had had those weapons for the past two years.

  Eric, of course, kept this a secret.

  The sea captains, unfortunately, had all met untimely ends. He looked on their deaths not as a waste of good money, but as a means to level the playing field. Anyone who turned on Alor Satar would find them more than ready. But Eric had not counted on the Orlocks acquiring one of the rings, or the size of their armies. His brother Armand was al­ready gone by the time he had returned home. Once news of rebellion in Elgaria reached him, the king had assembled his men and rode off to support the Vargothans. Armand's tem­per was as famous as his vaunted military acumen.

  That was five days ago, and they had heard nothing since. The riders he sent out to warn him had not returned yet, so Eric sat and fretted. He glanced down at the book he was reading and flipped the page back again. He'd read the same paragraph three times now and he had no idea what it said. He was considering whether to send more riders out when the door to the library banged open.

  Armand was standing there, his brother's face streaked with dirt and his cloak torn. There was blood on his arms and chest and he looked ready to collapse.

  "Good lord," Eric said. Jumping to his feet, he went to Armand, put an arm around his waist and helped him to a chair. "Are you all right?" he asked, pouring a glass of brandy.

  Armand downed it in a single gulp. "I'm fine."

  "What happened?"

  "The Vargothans betrayed us. We arrived in Anderon to

  reinforce them and they led us into a trap. Most of my command was wiped out. We lost nearly a thousand men." Eric's eyebrows went up. "Are you injured?" he asked, looking his brother up and down.

  "It's nothing. We need to gather our commanders im­mediately."

  "First tell me what happened," Eric said. "I need to know everything."

  Armand leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes and be­gan to speak slowly. "The commander is a man named Jonas Carmody. He sent a messenger saying that Delain and a force of just over five hundred men launched an as­sault on their northern garrison two days ago. He con­firmed the reports we'd been getting about a general uprising throughout the country. When I got Carmody's letter, I left as rapidly as I could. He wrote there was no way the occupation force could keep things under control. "When we arrived, Carmody told us that his men had followed Delain to a place called Kelsey Church and blocked his escape route back into the mountains."

  Eric thought for second. "I don't know this Kelsey Church."

  "It's a small town near the border. You get to it by go­ing through a valley surrounded by mountains on both sides.

  "The Vargothans had nearly two hundred men, fully equipped and ready to go, so we combined forces and marched, thinking to meet Delain. When we got to the val­ley, we found another five hundred of the mercenaries waiting for us, along with several hundred Orlocks. They fell on us from all sides. My rear guard sacrificed itself so I could get out."

  Eric poured himself a glass of brandy and sipped it slowly. "I'm glad you're in one piece, brother. We're go­ing to need your military abilities now more than ever. You understand that what happened was just the beginning. They're not going to stop there."

  "Let them come," Armand said. "I intend to teach those lying bastards what we do with traitors. If the Or-locks and the Vargothans want a war, we'll give it to them."

  "It won't be that easy," said Eric. "Coribar is also in­volved now. Let me tell you what I've learned in your ab­sence."

  For the next fifteen minutes Eric filled his brother in on the news in Eldar's letter. To his credit, Armand calmed down, sipped his drink and listened.

  "You think they mean to come for us?" Armand asked when his brother was through.

  "I do," Eric said. "If you study history, this is in­evitable. Fortunately, we're well-prepared."

  "The cannons?"

  "That, and our dear cousin Teanna," Eric answered. "Whether Eldar sends troops is up in the air, but Teanna will almost certainly support her family, particularly now that an attempt has been made on her life."

  Armand was shocked by the news. "Someone tried to kill her? Is she all right?"

  "She's fine. We haven't spoken yet and they don't know who sent the assassin. He was killed before Eldar could interrogate him, but it's a safe bet either Coribar or one of the Western nations were behind it... James, most likely. It doesn't fit Delain's style."

  "Why would James act now?"

  "Because he's an opportunist. It's obvious that he and Delain think the time is right. With Teanna out of the way, their path would be clear. James knows the landscape as well as anyone."

  Armand made a dismissive gesture. "It won't make any difference if Mirdan enters the light. We could have beaten the lot of them at Ardon Field. I was a fool to listen to Teanna. We should have finished them when we had the chance."

  "If we do," Eric said, "it will have to be by ourselves.

  By the way, we've acquired some new house guests ... Edward Guy, his daughter, and five barons from Sennia."

  "Oh, this just gets better and better," Armand growled. "What the hell are they doing here? We need them in the south. They share a common border with Mirdan. Guy should be getting his army ready."

  "If wishes were horses," Eric replied. "The fool was so anxious to rid himself of Gawl d'Atherny he announced another trial—for treason. Most of his army commanders rose up and threw Sennia into a state of civil war. Guy had to flee and Gawl is now back in power."

  Armand ran his hands through his hair. "This is rich. If Sennia's lost to us and Nyngary can't be counted on, it looks like we'll have to go it on our own. Vargoth may have the Orlocks with them, but they'll have to contend with Delain on one side and us on the other. We'll deal with whichever of them survive."

  "What we need now is intelligence," Eric said. "We need to know how many troops Seth has committed and how many of the Orlocks are supporting him. We'll also have to get Teanna here to deal with Shakira."

  Armand thought about it for a few seconds and nodded. "A good plan. Send for Edward Guy. He can start earning his keep."

  39

  Bacora, Sennia

  The original plan had been for James to return to Mirdan once Gawl was back in power. Though the king was less than pleased by Edward Guy's defection, it came as a welcome surprise to everyone else. Satisfied that all was in order, James was in the midst of his preparations to leave when another letter arrived from Delain. He and Gawl read it together in the palace's small dining room.

  If the news about Vargoth turning on Alor Satar came as a shock, it was nothing compared to Delain's revelation that Orlocks had joined in the fight. Even more shocking was the news that Shakira held one of the rose gold rings. According to the reports Delain passed on, the Orlock queen had set Anderon Palace ablaze while hundreds of her creatures stood by and cheered.

  He went on to report that nearly a hundred citizens had been carried off by the Orlocks.

  The thought sent a shiver up James's spine. He and Gawl discussed the developments over dinner. Both were in agreement that honor and friendship dictated they help Delain. Gawl was for setting out immediately, but James opted for learning more about how many of the creatures they would be facing before they went. As much as Gawl hated it, he was forced to agree. Vargoth alone could be dealt with, they decided, but Orlocks added another factor to the equation. Consequently, the commanders of both the Sennian and Mirdanite units were instructed to remain

  on alert. James also sent a message back to his own coun­try telling his soldiers and citizens to prepare for war.

  "Is there any way to stop your assassin?" asked Gawl.

  James shook his head. "We've been through all this," he said, taking a bite of food. "We'll have to deal wi
th Teanna eventually. We might as well do it now."

  "We have discussed it," Gawl agreed, "but things have changed radically, in case you haven't noticed. I would rather deal with a human wearing one of the rings than with the creatures. Their eating habits leave a great deal to be desired."

  James's fork paused halfway to his mouth. "Point taken. Unfortunately, there's no way to get in touch with him."

  "What if we send word to the Nyngary court and let them know?"

  "Let Eldar d'Elso know that we sent someone to mur­der his daughter? 'By the way, Eldar, our decision with that assassin was a bit hasty. Apologize to Teanna for us, would you?' I can just imagine how he'll react to that."

  "Well, we've got to do something. We can't just sit around on our asses."

  "I'm open to suggestions. You know, it's possible we could ..."

  The Prince's words trailed away when a high-pitched whine started in the room. He and Gawl both came to their feet as a point of white light appeared out of nowhere and hung suspended in front of the fireplace. A moment later it expanded into a single line. Then the line thickened, form­ing into an opaque rectangle, with something dark at its center, when the shape resolved into the form of Teanna d'Elso. James started to reach for his sword.

  "I've seen this before," Gawl said, stopping him. "She's not really here. We're looking into a window of some kind."

  "What?"

  'Trust me. I saw Mathew Lewin do the same thing in a forest outside of Tremont several years ago."

  James made a face, but relaxed.

  Teanna glanced around the room and saw them standing there. "Your majesty," she said, bowing her head to Gawl.

  "What is it you want?"

  "Only to talk. I do not believe I know the gentleman next to you."

  "This is Prince James of Mirdan. James, I present Teanna d'Elso, Crown Princess of Nyngary."

  James looked at Gawl as if he had just lost his mind. After a moment he shook his head and bowed to the image floating in front of him.

  "Forgive me," said Teanna. "I know communicating this way can be unsettling, but it was imperative that I speak with you. It's doubly lucky that you're both here."

  Still uncertain about what he was seeing, James peered at the window of light more closely. Behind Teanna he could see a bed, a dresser, and a mirror.

  "I have no idea what I'm looking at," he said. "But if you are Teanna d'Elso, why should we listen to anything you have to say?"

  "Because it's important to all of us," Teanna replied.

  "There is nothing you have to say that would interest me," Gawl added. "Go back to wherever you came from. I don't speak with liars."

  Teanna's eyebrows arched in response, but she did not move, nor did the window disappear.

  "Perhaps I deserved that," she said. "If saying I'm sorry for what happened would make any difference, I would do so now. I know that you've suffered, but what I did was four years ago and I took no part in your overthrow. I didn't learn of Eric's plan until after it was set in motion."

  "Your words ring false, Princess," Gawl said wearily. "We trusted you ... I trusted you. You came as a friend and an ally and betrayed us. You would have killed Mathew Lewin in the Emerald Cavern if it wasn't for Jeram Quinn."

  "I reacted out of anger," she said. "You're right about Mathew. I came to Sennia with a plan to avenge the deaths of my mother and uncle, but then things became confused."

  "And afterward you sided with Edward Guy and your cousin by taking Fanshaw Castle apart stone by stone with your fireballs," said Gawl. "Your deeds give lie to your words."

  "You have every right to be furious with me, sire, but I hope you can understand that I was nineteen and found myself in a position of having to support my family or abandon them. What would you have done?"

  "You weren't nineteen when you took part in the battle at Tyraine, or at Anderon, or a half-dozen others," said James. "It seems to me that had it not been for your inter­vention, the West would still be intact."

  "We can go over what I did and why I did it for the next year and it won't change a thing. I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I was raised to believe that one's family comes before all else, and I lived up to my obligations. Fortunately, I'm also not nineteen anymore."

  "And now you've changed your mind," said Gawl. "Pardon my being blunt, but I would as soon bed a rat­tlesnake as trust you, Teanna. Get out of my house."

  "You don't need to trust me. I'm only asking you to lis­ten to what I have to say."

  Gawl looked at James, and the prince responded with a small shrug.

  "Speak," said Gawl.

  Teanna began, and was in the process of recounting es­sentially what Delain had reported in his letter when Gawl cut her off. "We already know all of this. Why are you here?"

  "I'll answer that question in a moment," she replied. "Let me finish. I'm sure by now you know what happened in Anderon between the Vargothans, the Orlocks, and Alor Satar, but that is only part of the story. Vargoth's alliance also includes Coribar."

  "Go on," said James.

  "You face a greater peril than you can possibly imagine."

  "We already know about Shakira and her ring," said Gawl. "We'll figure out a way to deal with her when the time comes, just as we'll figure out a way to deal with you."

  "Brave words. But will you also figure out a way to deal with a million Orlocks? Because that's exactly what she has at her command. I swear on the honor of my house that I'm speaking the truth," Teanna said.

  Neither Gawl or James said anything for a while.

  "Fine," Gawl finally replied. "You're speaking the truth. That doesn't answer why you're here."

  "There are two reasons. Just as you, I love my country and I don't want to see it destroyed. I can do a great deal with this ring," she said, holding up her hand, "but I can't be everywhere at once and I'm not invulnerable."

  "And the second reason?" prompted James.

  "I know that Mathew Lewin is alive. I want to talk with him."

  Gawl's face went cold. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Mathew's been dead for four years now."

  "It's no use pretending, Gawl. I know he's alive. I've felt his mind."

  "And you'd like to apologize for trying to kill him," said Gawl. "Pardon me, but my patience with this charade wears thin."

  Teanna looked at James who stared back at her but made no response.

  "I repeat, I was younger then. People grow up. Yes, I'd like to apologize for what I did. It's not just my country or your country or Alor Satar that are in danger right now— it's everyone. Have you ever asked yourself why the Or­locks hate us as much as they do? This may be difficult for you to accept, but there is a machine under our planet that makes the rings work. I know that sounds incredible. Our

  ancestors built it, but before that was done they created the Orlocks. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

  "No," said James.

  "It's true, I swear it. The creatures were meant to be a slave race. Once the machine became active, our people didn't need them anymore and began to destroy them in the most horrible ways. I've seen the proof with my own eyes. I can take you to the Ancients' town and prove it to you if you like."

  "What town would that be?" asked James.

  Teanna took a breath before continuing. "It lies thou­sands of miles under the earth in a cavern. I've been there myself, many times. If you'll let me, I'll—"

  "Come back tomorrow," Gawl said. "We'll be here at the same time."

  Teanna looked like she was going to say something else but thought better of it. The rectangle of light moved inward until it became a line, then compressed itself into a single white dot and promptly winked out of existence. The sound of a far off chime slowly died out in the room.

  As soon as she was gone James turned to Gawl. "Why did you stop her?"

  "Because something she said jogged my memory. Sev­eral years ago I had a talk with Mat Lewin and Siward Thomas. It took place here in the palace af
ter two of my statues came to life and tried to kill him. At the time, we didn't know that a priest named Aldrich Kellner was con­trolling them. He also had one of the rings. At any rate, Si-ward, Mat, and I spoke for quite a while, and Mat mentioned the underground town. Teanna may be telling the truth."

  "Or part of it," James pointed out.

  "That's possible as well," Gawl agreed. "But if she's right about Shakira having a million Orlocks. . ." He sighed heavily. "Well, this is serious and I want time to think things through."

  "An excellent idea," said James. "So do I."

  40

  New Raburn

  The dream began differently from the others. Mathew saw the mountain in front of him and the entrance to the cave as he climbed the hill, but now there was a bay in the distance. He couldn't tell what bay it was." As he climbed higher, the masts of different ships anchored there came into view. On the opposite side of the bay a town stretched up into the hills. It was not a large town and it resembled none of the ports he had visited while on the Daedalus. One prominent structure—a castle, by the look of it—sat on a hill above the town. It was too far away to make out anything in detail other than two prominent watchtowers.

  Collin was already at the cave entrance fifty feet above him. The opening was little more than a rift in the rock, and one had to stoop to enter it. The same sick vertigo took hold of him during their climb as it had done before. Eventually he found himself on the ledge facing the Or-locks once again. Shakira was there.

  "So, human," she rasped. "Have you considered my offer?"

  So much for the preliminaries, Mathew thought. "What do I gain by getting the ring for you?" he asked.

  "Your life and the lives of your friends, to begin with."

  "And what's to stop me from killing you once I have the ring back?"