Winged Warrior

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “I doubt that any of the lords in this room have ever met a Chula chieftain before,” the Torak said loudly. “That is a shame, because they have much in common with you. Each of them controls a large tribe and has to tend to the thousands of emergencies that always pop up with a large population. They have to ensure that their people are cared for, that they are fed and clothed, and that they have a safe homeland to prosper in. And they must protect their people from invasions and infringements by their neighbors, just as you lords do.”

  The lords spoke softly among themselves. Some tried to guess which Chula was the chieftain of which tribe, while others questioned where the Emperor was going with his speech. Emperor Marak stopped talking until the murmurs subsided.

  “It is my firm belief that these border disputes must be ended today,” declared the Emperor. “To that end, I have several suggestions for the lords assembled here today. Each of the Chula chieftains has vowed to seek redress under Khadoran laws to protect their lands, but each has also willingly accepted the prospect of negotiations. So there are several choices available to each of you with a remaining border dispute. You can fight for your land under this ancient law, or you can sit down with a representative of the Lords’ Council and your Chula neighbor and work out a peaceful settlement. I would prefer to see everyone take the second option. There will be enough blood shed in the coming days without spilling any here today.”

  “Are there any other options?” shouted a voice from the audience.

  Emperor Marak tried to attach a face to the voice, but the lord had not risen so he addressed his remarks to everyone.

  “Everyone on this stage is open to any solution that will end this crisis,” declared the Emperor, “but this issue needs to be put behind us. I want resolution of each claim before we leave here. I am willing to stay as long as it takes to get each and every one of the disputes resolved fairly. I would like to make another point that may have escaped some of you lords who have no disputes. This is a rare opportunity for each of you to get to know the Chula in a way that has never been possible before. I urge you to stay for a while today and speak with some of these chieftains. You may find that our ancient hatred of the Chula is unfounded. You may also find that you have new neighbors that are willing to help you with your problems. This is an opportunity, but you must avail yourself of it to make anything out of it. Lord Patel?”

  Lord Patel made his way back onto the stage as Emperor Marak moved to the rear.

  “That concludes the agenda of the Assembly of Lords today unless anyone has something to offer,” stated Lord Patel. “Are there any questions or motions?”

  It was clear that everyone had questions, but no one rose to state them publicly. Lord Patel called the meeting to a close. The members of the Lords’ Council immediately left their seats and went onto the stage. They mixed freely with the Chula introducing themselves. Except for the stark clothing of the Chula, the scene was reminiscent of a gathering of lords. The members of the Assembly of Lords stood staring at the spectacle in disbelief and whispering among themselves. Within moments, however, some of the lords became curious. At first they drifted closer to the stage in an attempt to catch snippets of conversation, but eventually some of the lords marched up the steps and stood next to a member of the Lords’ Council to hear what was happening. The members of the Lords’ Council did not miss a beat. When they noticed a new face alongside them, they introduced that lord to the next chieftain as if he were an old friend. Within an hour, lords and chieftains chatted freely with each other. Several hours into the gathering, Emperor Marak bumped into Lord Chenowith.

  “How are things going?” the Emperor asked Lord Chenowith. “Are the disputes being resolved?”

  “They are,” nodded Lord Chenowith, “and in a much better way than any of us envisioned.”

  “What do you mean? frowned the Emperor.

  “Twenty seven disputes have been resolved in the last hour alone,” answered Lord Chenowith, “and each of them was resolved with the same solution.”

  “And what is that solution?” prompted the Emperor.

  “The disputed land will be shared equally between the Chula and the Khadorans,” explained Lord Chenowith, “and I do not mean splitting it down the middle. I mean that both Chula and Khadorans will have full access to the land as equal partners.”

  “That is fantastic,” brightened the Emperor. “That means that both peoples will get to know one another. Who thought of this?”

  “It evolved out of discussions between one of the lords and his Chula neighbor,” replied Lord Chenowith. “I am not sure which ones, but it is such a great solution.”

  “It ensures that the Khadorans will no longer be ignorant about the Chula ways,” nodded the Emperor. “This has turned out much better than I had anticipated. What about Lord Padro? I am afraid my treatment of him has created an enemy for life.”

  “He was already your enemy,” shrugged Lord Chenowith. “Little can be done to change that, but his co-plotters have agreed to drop their claims against the Sookie. Their attitude was one of having lost a gamble, so I do not think that Lord Padro will be able to sway them in the future.”

  * * *

  The floor of the throne room in the temple on the Island of Darkness was splattered with blood. Xavo watched where he stepped as he made his way towards the front of the room, lest he slip and look like a fool. The soldiers were dragging a body out of the chamber while the inner circle of the followers of Vand gathered for a daily briefing. Emperor Vand’s dark visage lightened as he looked up and saw Clarvoy enter the room.

  “Welcome home, Clarvoy,” smiled Vand as he signaled for the doors to the room to be closed. “What news do you have for me?”

  The spymaster’s eyes scanned the room, as they always did, before answering the Emperor.

  “Some of the news is confusing,” admitted Clarvoy, “but there are gems as well. On the confusing end is Marak’s reaction to our attack at Duran. His reaction was fairly swift, but I cannot determine its significance. He made a great show of sending thousands of soldiers south towards Duran, but they never arrived. Our spies lost track of them somewhere around the Kalatung Mountains.”

  “They lost track of thousands of soldiers?” frowned the Emperor. “How is that possible?”

  “I don’t know,” conceded the spymaster. “I have put extra spies to work in that area to find the lost armies. I will report any progress to you.”

  “What else?” frowned the Emperor.

  “I have been successful in infiltrating the inner circle of the Star of Sakova,” declared Clarvoy. “Much can be learned from this spy. The city of Zaramilden is being abandoned. The entire population is being evacuated to western coast cities.”

  “Interesting,” mused the Emperor. “Is this significant enough to alter our attack plans?”

  “I am not sure yet,” replied Clarvoy. “I wish to speak to the generals about this. Using Zaramilden as a base would allow us a complete city between the Khadorans and the Sakovans with easy access denied to both. It has possibilities, but it would require changes to the plans we have already agreed upon.”

  “I have faith in you Clarvoy,” replied Vand. “Talk with the generals and report back to me. We will discuss this again at length.”

  “I have also learned much about the Sakovan defenses,” continued Clarvoy. “They are hiding the bulk of their armies in the forests beyond Alamar. I have not yet determined the purpose of this, but it is only a matter of time until I do.”

  “So there is no plan for them to repopulate Duran?” questioned the Emperor.

  “None at all,” replied Clarvoy. “I think the evacuation of Zaramilden verifies that. They are planning on defending Alamar and the west coast.”

  “Alamar will fall the first day,” retorted the Emperor. “Find out what those reserve armies are for. I was hoping to crush the bulk of their forces in Alamar. Now it sounds like they will not be there.”

  “I will f
ind that out and much more,” promised Clarvoy. “This new spy is the closest we have gotten to the Star of Sakova. It will be a rich vein that can be mined for more information than we dreamed possible.”

  “Can this spy kill the Star of Sakova?” asked Vand.

  “That is possible,” frowned Clarvoy, “but I would urge against it. Right now we have a source of information that will guarantee the defeat of the Sakovans. If that asset is used to kill the Star of Sakova, it is highly likely that our source of information will be shut down. I do not like being blind, not even for the life of the Star of Sakova.”

  “Your point is well taken,” sighed the Emperor. “I do not know what I would do without your services, Clarvoy. You are the one Motangan that never fails me.”

  “I always try my best,” bowed the spymaster.

  “What of the Fakarans?” asked the Emperor.

  “Chaos,” shrugged Clarvoy. “I expected the free tribes and the Jiadin to still be fighting, but that is not happening. It appears that the free tribes have disappeared from the new cities that they were building. The Jiadin now infest Meliban and Taggot.”

  “The free tribes are too numerous to disappear,” frowned the Emperor. “Someone knows where they are.”

  “Quite true,” replied Clarvoy. “It is said that they have fled to Angragar, but no one knows where Angragar is. I have spies searching all of Fakara.”

  “Angragar,” Vand mused troublingly. “That would make sense. It will be the place of the Astor’s last stand. He is fortifying it against our armies and leaving the Jiadin out as treats for our armies. Why should he try to battle the Jiadin when my armies will do it for him?”

  “What if we called the Jiadin in to be our allies?” asked Clarvoy. “They accepted the position once before.”

  “Oh,” smiled Vand, “we can call them allies, but the Jiadin will die along with the rest. They are all descended from the ingrates who abandoned me long ago. I swore that I would extinguish every one of their spawn from the face of the world, and I shall do so.”

  “Still,” suggested Clarvoy, “we can use the Jiadin before we kill them. Let me try to turn them against the Astor one more time.”

  “You have my blessings on this matter, Clarvoy,” nodded the Emperor. “Go to Fakara and the sow the seeds of chaos among our enemies. Use one against the other, and let death rain on their families even as they wait for the final judgment that my armies will deliver unto them.”

  Chapter 20

  Xavo

  Xavo left the throne room when the meeting was over. He walked casually through the temple and onto the streets of the city. His walk carried him to the waterfront, and he turned to stroll along the beach. The beach near the city was usually used for people wanting to get away from the city, so it was not surprising to see other people on it. Xavo walked past them all to the point of the peninsula jutting off into the sea. The point was an unofficial demarcation line of sorts. Strollers never wandered past the point, but Xavo kept on walking. He walked all the way along the far side of the peninsula until he came to the spot where he had found Lady Mystic. It was a fairly short walk from the temple if one used the path through the jungle, but Xavo did not want to be seen by Lady Mystic on this day.

  His eyes scanned the jungle trail and then the beach in both directions. When he was satisfied that he was alone, he wove an air tunnel and directed it towards Raven’s Point. He smiled as he felt an air mage grab the opposite end of the air tunnel. Breaking his own rules, Xavo modified the pressure of the air tunnel so that it worked in both directions.

  “This is a nice beach on the island of Motanga,” Xavo said softly into the air tunnel. “The pressure is equalized, but do not speak unless asked to, and keep your voice soft when you do. Who am I speaking to?”

  “Polema,” came a soft reply. “Your voice is wrong.”

  “Is Rhoda nearby?” asked Xavo.

  “I am here,” came a second female voice. “Who are you?”

  “My voice has been altered,” declared Xavo. “You must rely on the keyword that I mentioned the last time. Listen carefully. I have made this air tunnel equalized because I must be sure that you understand my instructions. Send Polema away and then listen well.”

  Xavo nodded to himself when Rhoda softly said that she was alone.

  “This message is for the ears of Fisher and Marak only,” Xavo continued. “No one else must hear of it. Is that clear?”

  “Yes,” replied Rhoda, “but I doubt your identity.”

  “Do not make me mention your birthmark,” Xavo smiled. “I found it necessary to adopt another persona. Just listen. Clarvoy has a spy in the inner circle of the Star of Sakova. He knows that the Sakovans are positioning armies deep in the forest, and he is trying to discover the reason for such positioning. Lyra must thwart this spy without letting on that she knows about him or her. My life depends upon it. They also know that Zaramilden is being evacuated. That knowledge may make them alter their attack plans. I have no understanding of why that is.”

  “Hold,” Rhoda said softly.

  Xavo stopped talking as he imagined Rhoda writing down every single word. Her thoroughness was the reason that he wanted to speak directly to her.

  “Continue,” whispered Rhoda.

  “Clarvoy also has been snooping around Fakara,” Xavo continued. “He does not know the location of Angragar, but he knows that the free tribes have fled to there. He is planning a trip to either Meliban or Taggot to recruit Jiadin to work against the Astor. Rejji must be informed. Have you got all that?”

  “Yes,” Rhoda replied after a moment.

  “Officially, Aakuta is dead,” Xavo declared. “Warn the Torak that this information is known to only a few people. If I am compromised, I will not be able to continue. He will understand. I hope to talk to you again soon.”

  Xavo immediately dropped the air tunnel as he heard a noise on the jungle trail behind him. He plopped down on the beach and gazed out to sea, pretending to spend a quiet moment with his thoughts. A few moments later, Lady Mystic appeared on the beach.

  “Fancy finding you here,” greeted Lady Mystic. “What are you doing?”

  “Just thinking about us,” smiled Xavo. “Sit.”

  “Why this particular spot?” asked Lady Mystic as she lowered herself to the sand.

  “It is where I found you on the beach,” smiled Xavo. “I was hoping that I might bump into you. You have not been answering my knocks on your door.”

  “You do not lie well,” retorted Vand’s daughter. “I saw you leaving the temple earlier. You went out of your way to get to this very spot. You could have just walked through the jungle.”

  “I guess that I did not plan on coming here when I started the walk,” shrugged Xavo. “Still, this is where I ended up, and I did hope to bump into you before I left. Why do you mistrust me so?”

  “Because you are a phony,” answered Lady Mystic. “You still want something from me, but I have not figured it out yet. You are too much like me, Xavo. You are not capable of this love you proclaim for me.”

  “How can you say that?” balked Xavo. “Were you not in love with Aakuta? That shows that you are capable of love, so why can’t I be?”

  “I was in love with Aakuta,” Lady Mystic replied as she frowned deeply, “but I did not know what it was. I betrayed my lover. That only proves that I am incapable of dealing with it.”

  “You are too hard on yourself,” smiled Xavo. “You truly did not understand your father and what motivates him. You were blind to how Vand would react. I am sure that Aakuta would have forgiven you.”

  Lady Mystic stared at Xavo and did not speak. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him. After a few moments, Xavo turned and saw Lady Mystic staring at him.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Did I say something to offend you?”

  Lady Mystic blinked and shook her head. “Did they teach you the air tunnel yet?” she asked.

  “Oh yes,” nodded Xavo. “I guess it coul
d be a useful tool for directing people over a wide area, but I would not get too excited about it. I think it is overrated.”

  “Oh?” replied Lady Mystic. “Then they only told you about one of its uses?”

  “What do you mean?” frowned Xavo. “What other uses are there for it?”

  “The original spell only sends messages,” explained Lady Mystic. “That is what I discovered by watching Aakuta, but the spell can be altered to allow messages to flow in either direction. I would have thought that being a Disciple of Vand would have allowed you to be privy to such knowledge.”

  “Who discovered the variations?” Xavo asked with concern.

  “I did,” smiled Lady Mystic. “I had to think of something to take my mind off of Aakuta.”

  “Have you told anyone else yet?” Xavo asked anxiously.

  “No,” replied Lady Mystic. “Should I?”

  “I wouldn’t in your position,” Xavo inadvertently sighed with relief. “I mean, after what your father did to you, I would not help them ever again. Of course, I am speaking from your perspective, not mine.”

  “But you are a Disciple of Vand,” Lady Mystic said with raised eyebrows. “You should be urging me to disclose what I know.”

  “It is not that important of a discovery,” shrugged Xavo. “I guess I don’t want to see you abused any more than you already have been.”

  “That is so considerate of you, Xavo,” smiled Lady Mystic. “I would really be impressed with your love and dedication to me,” she paused for effect and added, “If I believed a word of what you are saying.”

  “What do you mean?” frowned Xavo. “Why do you have such a hard time believing that I love you?”

  “Because you are not being honest with me,” replied Vand’s daughter. “You don’t trust me enough to be honest with me. I can’t say that I blame you, but that does stop me from believing you.”