“One move and your head will be rolling down the alley,” snarled an unseen voice behind the stranger. “What do you want with…”
The man never finished the sentence. The stranger flicked his wrist and the swordsman flew backwards to slam into a wall. The stranger brought both arms up before him and the four thugs scrambled for safety.
“Mage!” shouted one of the men as he dove behind a set of stairs.
The stranger watched as the thugs scattered. His first reaction was to destroy them all, but he held his powers in check, an old admonition lingering in his mind. He lowered his arms as the thugs scrambled to get away. When they had all disappeared, he walked to the second building on his left. He stared at the door to the old building for a moment, but his thoughts began to blur. Something in the deep recesses of his mind tried to scream a warning to him, but it was too late. His eyes closed, and he felt his body falling to the ground.
When the stranger awoke, he found himself tied to a chair, the sun streaming through a window and casting long shadows across the dusty floor. A tall warrior approached him and squatted before him.
“Who are you?” asked the warrior. “And why are you looking for me?”
The mage stared at the warrior as his senses began to return. He could feel the bindings holding his hands tied behind his back, and he was aware that his hood had been removed.
“Are you Karl Gree?”
“I am,” answered the warrior, “but you are no friend of mine as you claim to be. Who are you?”
“I am called Theos,” answered the mage, “and I am a friend of yours whether we like it or not. Fakir Aziz told me to seek you out.”
“And did Fakir tell you who I am?”
“No,” admitted Theos, “but I can guess.”
“Then share your guess with me.”
“You are the leader of the Tyronian patriots, although you do not appear to even be Tyronian.”
“And why would you guess that?” asked Karl.
Theos sighed. “Cut the bindings. I am no threat to you, and I will not be interrogated in this manner. If you don’t want my help overthrowing the Federation then I will fight them alone, but I will not be humiliated in this fashion.”
Karl nodded and pulled a knife from his belt. He moved behind Theos and cut the bindings. The mage rubbed his wrists and flexed his arms.
“I apologize for the bindings, but I had no idea who you were.”
“And now you think you do?”
“I recognized you without the hood,” Karl said as he returned to face the mage. “I saw you in Waxhaw with Fakir Aziz. Why did he send you to me?”
“I have too much anger to remain with him, and his ways are far too subtle for my nature. I guess he thought my skills might be better suited to your needs, but the truth is, I have to fight these Federation dogs. I cannot live in his fantasy world where the Federation is allowed to trample upon the people while we march towards some unnamed goal. I want to crush them completely.”
“Then you have come to the right place,” smiled Karl. “Let’s go somewhere more hospitable so we can talk at leisure.”
Suddenly, the building shook as if it were about to fall upon their heads. The dust on the floor rose in swirls, and distant shouts of alarm rang out around the city. The rumbling only lasted for seconds, but Theos whirled around as if he expected an attack. Karl glanced down at the long shadows on the floor and smiled broadly.
“What are you grinning at?” asked Theos. “Do you know what that was?”
“Not exactly,” answered Karl, “but I have an idea. Look at the shadows on the floor and tell me what they mean to you.”
The mage stared at the shadows and then rushed to the window. He looked up at the sky and shook his head. “That is impossible.”
“Not for the gods,” replied Karl.
Theos frowned as he turned back towards Karl. “What do you know of the gods?”
“I know that King Arik was planning on asking the gods to stall the invasion of Alcea. Judging from the angle of the sun, I would wager that winter has just begun.”
“King Arik? Alcea? What are you talking about?”
Karl smiled broadly at the mage. “Come, my friend. We have much to discuss. Before you fall asleep tonight, you will learn things that few people know.”
Chapter 24
The Royals
Karl Gree led the Tyronian mage through the streets of Ur, utilizing a bizarre and convoluted route to reach the eastern gates of the city. They passed only a few citizens and even fewer soldiers, but Theos still tensed whenever a soldier came nearby. Once they were through the gates, Karl led the mage to Sidney’s estate. Neither of them spoke during the entire trip. After offering a seat to Theos, Karl turned and left the room without a word. The Knight of Alcea stepped out onto the broad porch that fronted the mansion and waited patiently. As he waited, he watched the clouds gathering in the north. The breeze felt cool at first, but the winds increased, and soon there was a decided nip in the air. Before an hour had passed, snowflakes began falling, and a fairy dropped from the sky and landed on Karl’s shoulder.
“The Mage reports that Theos is a good man, but a fury burns deep within him. He advises you to tread softly.”
“Thank you, Twerp,” replied Karl. “Into your pocket.”
The little green man slid into Karl’s breast pocket and disappeared. Karl entered the mansion and returned to Theos. He found the mage sitting quietly, staring at the polished surface of the long table.
“I apologize for my absence,” Karl said softly as he took a seat across the table from Theos.
“It hardly matters,” muttered the mage. “I needed the time to think. This is the estate of Sidney Mercado. How is it that you are able to use it as your own?”
“Sidney is not in Tyronia. He has not been here for some time. He asked me to watch over his place in his absence. Do you know him?”
“I know of him,” answered the mage, “but I do not remember meeting him.” Theos’ eyes rose from the surface of the table and locked onto Karl’s eyes. “I have a lot of questions that need to be answered, Karl Gree.”
“I will do my best to answer them,” promised Karl. “What is troubling you?”
“Your talk of King Arik and Alcea are the most confusing. I have never heard of either of them.”
“Alcea is a country far across the ocean. King Arik is the ruler of Alcea. Earlier today you assumed that I was the leader of the Tyronian patriots. I am not. I am a Knight of Alcea sent to this land to learn about our enemies.”
Theos frowned and narrowed his eyes with skepticism. “And who are your enemies?”
“The Federation plans to attack Alcea,” stated the Knight of Alcea. “The attack was to commence within the month, but now it will be delayed to avoid battling nature as well as fortified cities. The act of the gods has given my countrymen more time to prepare for the coming onslaught.”
It was apparent that the mage was still unconvinced of the truth of Karl’s words. “I cannot imagine such an invasion being kept secret for any length of time. Is this Alcea a small island?”
“Alcea is as large as all of Zara, but our armies are miniscule in comparison. As for holding a secret, the Federation has performed rather well. Federation spies have been in Alcea for years. I have been in Zara for over a year myself.”
“And you think that a small band of warriors in Tyronia is going to hurt the Federation?” balked the mage. “Your story does not hold water.”
“I am not alone,” Karl smiled thinly. “There are Alceans throughout Zara. My purpose in Tyronia is to aid the patriots in overthrowing King Mectin.”
“Now we have found some common ground,” scowled Theos. “If you wish help in destroying the Federation’s hold over Tyronia, you will have my enthusiastic assistance. I assure you that I have the power to annihilate hundreds of their soldiers.”
“And how will you know their soldiers from the patriots?”
Theos
frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about? Do you take me for a blind man? The fools wear uniforms.”
“Many of the Federation soldiers in Tyronia are actually patriots,” declared Karl. “Would you kill your countrymen indiscriminately?”
The mage’s face softened, and he sighed in frustration. “I was not aware of that. I pictured my fellow citizens rising up in the night and attacking the Federation soldiers.”
“The Federation had anticipated such a scenario. While they didn’t force anyone to join the Federation army, one would come under suspicion is he did not. Once under Federation control, the officers took great care to separate friends from one another by placing them in different regiments. They also keep close watch on their own soldiers. Recruiting was easy in the days following the takeover, but it has become hazardous now. The patriots do not know who to trust, so I have advised them to cease recruiting.”
“How many patriots are there?”
“Five thousand.”
“That is half the entire army.”
“That is half the Thirty-second Corps, but King Mectin also has his own personal guard. They account for another two-thousand men and a host of black-cloaks. There is also a demonkin to worry about.”
“The priest?” frowned Theos. “Fakir said that the priest was a demonkin.”
“K’san,” nodded Karl. “He is one of the reasons that I am assigned here. I have an enchanted sword to strike him down if I can get close enough to use it.”
Theos raised an eyebrow, but he also nodded in understanding. “I will help you get close to him.”
“When the time comes.”
“When the time comes?” echoed the mage. “What are you waiting for?”
“There is a time for everything,” replied the Knight of Alcea. “The attack on King Mectin will not occur until the Federation commits the bulk of its troops to the invasion of Alcea.”
“If you are right about winter coming early, that will not be until spring. I cannot leave my countrymen to suffer under the yoke of the Federation for so long. We must destroy them now.” The mage’s voice rose in volume as he spoke, ending with his clenched fist slamming on the surface of the table.
Karl sighed as he began to see a touch of the fury Fakir spoke about. His brow wrinkled with concern. “Let’s assume for a moment that you and I together could destroy King Mectin’s entire force and chase General Marashef out of the country. What would we have accomplished?”
“We would have freed Tyronia of scum,” declared the mage. “Isn’t that what we are here for?”
“Emperor Jaar has over three hundred thousand men under his control. How long do you think it would take him to retaliate? And I am sure you can imagine what his wrath would be when his armies arrive here for the second time. He would order Ur leveled, and he would execute half the population to set an example for the other nations wanting their freedom. Is that the future you want for your countrymen?”
“At least we would be doing something,” retorted Theos. “I cannot simply sit still and watch as the Federation slowly destroys Tyronia.”
“There is a better way,” Karl said calmly. “When we attack King Mectin, Vinafor and Karamin will be acting at the same time. The Federation will lose all of their armies west of the Barrier, and they will not have sufficient troops to attack us. The bulk of the Federation armies will be in Alcea. Our actions will bring true freedom to Tyronia. Is that not something worth waiting for?”
Theos sighed and nodded. “I have trouble waiting around,” he confessed softly. “That is why Fakir Aziz pushed me away from his group. I cannot blame him, but I cannot change who I am.”
“Can’t you?” smiled Karl. “I suspect that you are an extremely talented mage. Otherwise, Fakir would not have chosen you in the first place. Think back on the time you were learning your trade. Could you have ever attained your level of expertise without some patience?”
“I was impatient even then,” chuckled Theos. The mage suddenly frowned and stared at Karl with a look of curiosity. “What type of magic do you have?”
“What do you mean?” Karl asked in confusion. “I am not a mage. I am a warrior.”
“Are you? I have not laughed once since the Federation came to Tyronia, yet I just did, and I have known you less than a day. You have some magic within you.”
“Fakir Aziz says that I have a gift, but it had nothing to do with your sudden humor. I have the ability to sense things around me, nothing more.”
Theos narrowed his eyes skeptically. “You cast a spell on me earlier to put me to sleep. It was a spell that I have never encountered before. I do not think you are being honest with me.”
Karl smiled broadly and stuck his finger into his pocket. Thimble stuck his head out and then leaped onto the table. Theos stared at the tiny man in wonder.
“Thimble is a fairy,” explained the Knight of Alcea. “He is my constant companion and partner. It was his magic that put you to sleep. I merely watched from the rooftop.”
“Greetings, friend of the Mage.” Thimble bowed respectfully to Theos.
The mage’s mouth hung open as he moved his head closer to the fairy. “Incredible! What other magic do you have, little man?”
“I can levitate things,” boasted the fairy, “and I can change my form.”
“They also have the ability to show their thoughts as visions,” interjected Karl. “They make excellent spies.”
“Fairies are the best spies ever,” chirped Thimble.
“Did you make me laugh?” asked the mage.
Thimble frowned and shook his head. “I do not know any laughing spells, but I do know some funny jokes.”
“Back to your nap, Thimble,” chuckled Karl. “Save the jokes for later.”
The fairy frowned with disappointment, but he shot up to his pocket and disappeared.
“An amazing creature,” commented Theos. “I would like to spend some time talking to him.” The mage raised his eyes from Karl’s pocket and looked into the Alcean’s eyes. “So you did not induce my laughter, but I am still confused as to why Fakir sent me to you. He knows well my impatience, yet you plan to do nothing for months. I cannot remain idle for so long.”
“Perhaps Fakir is wise in ways we do not understand,” suggested Karl. “I also had a burning desire for revenge in my heart once. I acted hastily to avenge my wife, but my haste caused me to act foolishly. Had King Arik not personally intervened, I would have started a war that would have brought misery to thousands. I have learned since then that emotions can often be a hindrance in obtaining our goals.”
“How do you chain your emotions?” asked Theos.
“I cannot contain them completely, but it helps to stay busy and work methodically towards my goal. Perhaps the same will work for you.”
“Work towards a goal?” frowned the mage. “What is there to work towards? When we attack we will kill our enemies. There is nothing more than that.”
“What is a Tyronian patriot’s life worth to you?”
Theos frowned at the question. “What is your real question?”
“When it comes time to attack King Mectin, thousands may die. For each patriot lost during the battle, the loss will be greater than his single life. Wives and children will lose their loved ones. Families will become fatherless, and young women will become widows. What would you pay for the life of a single patriot?”
“A life cannot be measured in gold. I still do not understand where you are going with this.”
“We have months before we attack,” explained Karl. “If we use those months wisely, we can lessen the casualties that the patriots must suffer. Let me propose to you a set of goals. For each day you must wait for the attack, refine our plans to save the life of a single patriot. If you can accomplish that goal each day, you will wish for more days before the attack, not less.”
The mage’s eyes brightened in understanding, and he smiled at the Knight of Alcea. “You may not be a magician, but you have a
powerful magic within you. Every life saved will be a slap to the emperor’s face. That is a challenge that I can heartily accept.”
* * * *
The special agent for Sidney Mercado and his two assistants rode into Farmin through the southern gates. Instead of heading directly towards the Bluff House Inn, Garth turned towards the slums.
“Where are we going?” asked Natia. “The Bluff House is in the other direction.”
“You two can go and get settled in if you want,” replied Garth. “I need to speak to someone.”
“Who?” asked Tedi.
“Fakir Aziz.”
“The Mage is in Farmin?” asked Natia. “Are you sure?”
“The fairies are never wrong. I might be a while. Have the evening meal without me.”
“If Fakir Aziz is in the city,” Tedi responded, “I am going with you. Are you going to ask him about the world rumbling?”
Garth gazed skyward and involuntarily pulled his tunic tighter around his neck. “I think the gods have spoken clearly enough. Winter is coming early. Besides, the Mage is reticent to talk of such of things. He has always been that way, and I don’t expect him to change anytime soon. In any event, I have not come to listen to riddles.”
Garth held up his hand for silence as an army patrol passed by, and the other two Knights of Alcea stopped asking questions. Garth led the small group into the slums. It was not hard to find out where the mages had set up shop. A steady stream of people flowed through the streets and alleys to the very center of the slums. When they reached the building, a long line of people stood in a queue outside the doors. The Knights of Alcea dismounted, and Garth led them around to the rear of the building. People were flowing out the rear door, but Garth politely moved against the flow until he was inside. Tedi and Natia followed.
Inside the door Garth found a huge room with long tables set up in rows extending from one wall to the other. Scores of chairs lined the tables and each of the chairs was occupied. Bowls of soup or stew sat in front of each person, and as soon as a chair was vacant, another citizen was directed to it. The rags the people wore clearly marked them as residing in the slums, but Garth noticed that the people were clean and much healthier than he remembered from his previous visits to the city. He smiled as he made his way across the room and through another door.
Heirs of the Enemy Page 31
