by Paul Heisel
They continued to move under the cover of darkness, cutting through valleys of the nearby hills that surrounded the city. The dirt beneath their feet was mud now and small streams from the downpour gathered in low spots and created ever-expanding puddles. They were assembled in marching order, working against the weather without complaint. A solitary scout from her group was ahead, and Pearl noted he was coming back from his position at breakneck speed. She halted everyone with a hand signal.
“There are legions of troops marching in the direction of Bora,” he said.
“Everyone, take cover! Hide!” The groups scattered. Pearl turned to the scout. “Show me.”
They scrambled up a muddy hill, using bushes and trees to aid in their ascent. The scout dropped to his belly and slithered the last few yards until he was on the crest of the hill. Pearl came next to him, the mud chilling her as she became prone and covered in it. The storm was doing a good job of concealing the army, and only because of the lanterns and sheltered firepots were they able to see them. There were banners bent heavy toward the ground from the rain, the closed fist symbol of the Sabrin monastery was plain to see. Pearl estimated there had to be two or three thousand soldiers on the march. She wondered, though, why had the Grand Master sent part of his army in this direction? Did he know there were problems in Bora, or did he suspect treachery to come from here? Her gut told her this was a force of occupation, an army to station themselves in Bora as a safety measure. She wondered if Hector had left. She doubted it. When he arose tomorrow to follow them, the monastery would be in the hands of the Grand Master and no one would be allowed to leave. She wasn’t sure if Hector being trapped was good or bad for her efforts. She hoped Hector would come to his senses and help her. Now it was too late.
#
It didn’t surprise Hector that Pearl left the monastery. What surprised him was that Tasha and the Orchids went with her. That didn’t make any sense – he knew Tasha and Pearl were comrades, but he couldn’t grasp the concept of Tasha being part of the conspiracy. It didn’t matter if the mastermind was Pearl or Kara, Tasha would have no part in any corruption. This made him question what was happening, and now he wasn’t sure who to believe. Everything Jerr had discovered pointed to Kara being behind the plan, but he doubted that because Kara had nothing to gain by becoming the Grand Master. The monks who had everything to gain were Djaa and maybe Caleth, but not Kara. Maybe Pearl was in league with Djaa or Caleth, perhaps they were behind this. Hector threw his robe across his room where it hit the wall and caught on a peg as he intended. Shades he wished Owori hadn’t killed Jerr! A knock came at his door and a monk came inside. He was soaked from the storm outside. Dripping wet and still shaking off the water, he removed the cowl from his head.
“Fadd what are you doing here?”
“I had to come back.” He was shivering from the cold. “I’m worn out from the effort. I'll be alright in a moment.”
“Sit. I’ll have tea brought. Gather your thoughts, then we can talk.” Hector opened the door and spoke to another monk, then returned.
“We never found Kara. She took a different path to Sabrin. By the time we figured out where she went, it was too late to stay close on her heels. We continued to Sabrin as ordered. On our way, we ran into an army.”
“What?”
“It’s a force from Sabrin, a sizeable part of the Grand Master’s standing army. They are two or three thousand strong, maybe more, marching right toward Bora. They will be here tomorrow. I came as fast as I could. The others continued to Sabrin in the hopes of picking up Kara’s trail.”
“Why would the Grand Master send an army against Bora? It makes no sense! All of us are the Accord of the Hand!”
“They are not a large enough army to take Bora by force,” Fadd said. “Our army would crush them.”
“It makes no sense.”
“Sense or not, they’re coming.”
Hector sat back, searching for the answers. It was common to use troops to help other monasteries in times of need or when natural catastrophe struck, but this didn’t feel right. If they weren’t going to attack, then what were they going to do? What was their intent? The tea was brought into the room and set at the table. Fadd warmed his hands near the pot and poured the tea into his bowl after his hands felt better.
“Oh that feels good. My hands are numb. The rains are cold this evening.”
“I don’t mean to dishearten you, but I think we need to get out of Bora. Enjoy your tea. We’re leaving as soon as we can get supplies together.”
“Why? The army isn’t strong enough to take Bora by force if that is their intent.”
“I agree, this army would be repelled by Bora's army,” Hector spoke. “What if the Grand Master’s army is here to make sure Bora’s army doesn’t leave? What if they are here to make sure no one leaves? Perhaps they are here to occupy the monastery until the business in Sabrin is finished. If that is the case, we’ll be trapped.”
“If that’s what you think.” Fadd sipped his tea.
“You get dried off. I’ll alert the others.”
Hector left the room and went into the darkened barracks, where only a few monks were still awake and reading by candlelight. Soon everyone was up and moving, and hours later just before the dawn, the remaining Furies left Bora not in search of anything, but looking to avoid the encroaching army and its unknown purpose.
Chapter 16 - Winter
Overnight the storms came from the west, streaking lightning and pouring rain over Sabrin. It cooled the monastery and the open windows brought relief to the stuffy indoors. It was morning, the sun still hidden beyond the horizon and thick clouds. The rain came sideways at Feln’s room, splattering on his window that he closed to keep the weather at bay. He didn’t sleep much as the thunder kept him awake. Another bolt of lightning swept across his vision, forking down from the sky and behind buildings in the distance. The roar of the thunder shook the monastery and rattled the windows.
The interviews would be today. He expected there to be questions about his history and heritage, about his service to the Accord of the Hand and why he should lead the monastery at Renk. Feln wasn’t sure what he would say to that, since his nomination was a political ploy and not a sincere move by his master. The position didn’t interest him, not now, not after becoming the head of the Xialao family. If by chance he won, he would be stuck in Renk and would have a difficult time of getting back to Pyndira. Yet being the leader at Renk would give him additional power and privileges that he could use to find Owori. If he managed to lose the votes today, though, he would go to Bora to talk to Pearl.
The lighting scattered in a spider web towards him, repeating several times in quick succession. This not only lit up the sky so brightly that it seemed like the afternoon, but the resulting thunder crackled continually and shook the building hard enough to bring dust cascading down from the rafters. He guessed everyone was awake by now. Donning his fighting clothes, Most Favored belt, and outer robes, Feln stepped into the corridor. Other monks were doing the same. Topic for discussion was the weather. In a stream, they headed downstairs toward the common mess hall, hoping the storm awakened the cooks.
#
As the Grand Master and Haworu emerged from the closet, Akuka greeted them with a bow. They had been gone for a while. Even this deep in the monastery they could hear the storm raging outside and overhead, through the roof. Thunder shook the structure, rattling the glass chandelier hanging above the center of the room. The candles were lit and the room still held an ominous feeling, a dark unexplained gloom that settled over them. The Grand Master showed Haworu to a seat. The younger monk was pale.
“I have never seen the likes of that,” Haworu said.
“You’ll get used to it. One day when you become the Grand Master, it won’t even disturb you how much wealth is there.” Montishari Gatôn turned to Akuka. “Are we hungry? I’ll have breakfast brought in.”
“You seem to be in good spirits,” Akuka sai
d. “What did you find out?”
“More rumors and speculation laced with information, though. Feln was telling the truth. The new head of the Xialao family is Feln-en-Xialao-Narneth. He arrived mysteriously, which explains his absence after we went to war with Borgard. Chang’s murder has been solved. The official story from Hiru is a rogue Fury, in the Ku's family service, killed Chang, thus exonerating Feln. It does bring about other concerns, does it not?”
“Furies are loyal when bound to a family. The very fabric of the magic that makes us what we are would have to be torn out of us. I have heard about attempts to do this and madness resulted. We can't turn against our masters! Not without the magic bond being shattered!”
“Well, that’s the story. Hiru killed the Fury when he went after him and his new bride in their bedchamber. Who knows what the Emperor will do if he believes the binding of a Fury can be broken. No one would be safe. I fear the Emperor will commit acts far worse than marking the likes of you with a colorful tattoo.”
“I assure you that I’m loyal to the Yokai family and loyal to you Montishari. I would die before I would let any harm come to you or Haworu. I don’t need magic to bind me to your service either. It is my duty.”
The Grand Master made no reply to Akuka’s vow. He went to the wall rang a bell, summoning his aide, who came through the door.
“Bring us breakfast. We’ll be eating in here. Find Sondossasya and send him here. Then go to the visiting monks and tell them that I’m very ill, so the interviews for Master of Winter will have to be postponed indefinitely. I won’t be seeing anyone today, except for Sondossasya. Do you understand, no one is to see me and I’m very ill.”
“Yes master.”
The door closed.
“Why Sondossasya?” Akuka asked.
“He’s one of my more talented Dragonmasters, a monk sworn to protect me. He’s a lot like you, but without the magical talents.”
“Then what’s his talent?”
“He’s a problem solver. I’m tired of sitting back and waiting for our enemies to strike. I’m going to flush out this conspiracy and all who are part of it. After we eat with Sondossasya, I want you to work with him on a plan.” The Grand Master turned to Haworu. “You’ll have to keep a distance, and the only truth you’ll know is that I’m well. I’ll need you to reinforce that I’m sick, though, even deathly ill. I need to delay this to see who is the most impatient, and I need time for the occupying forces to settle in Tyilip and Bora. Go Haworu, you can’t associate with us any longer. I will speak to you when the vote commences. This is the part you must play. Sondossasya and Akuka will do the rest, and only come here if I summon you. I’m sorry, and on second thought you’ll have to take your breakfast with the monks. Away with you. Go. Now.”
“Yes master.”
#
The news that the Grand Master was ill made Feln wonder what was going on. This would delay the process to determine the Master of Winter for days. He wasn’t sure if it was a ploy or not to draw out the conspirators; he could only guess that was what the Grand Master was trying to do. Feln spent the early morning training, then with nothing else to do, he went on an inspection of the grounds. If there was going to be an attack, he wanted to know the entire layout of the Sabrin monastery. He made it look as if he were drawing pictures of trees and plants in his journal, but in secret he was making notes on the areas outside of the monastery and sketching the floor plan. Sabrin, like most monasteries, had expanded over time. There were periods of explosive growth, and this made the buildings crowded together. Groups of buildings had melded into single structures through renovations. Like Bora, the monastery was set into the hill, giving natural protection on the sides from any approaching force. From there the structures fanned out toward the flatter lands, gardens, forests, outbuildings, the stables, and open areas large enough to assemble armies. Around the circumference at a great distance was a stout wall.
He was almost complete with his survey near midday and two things concerned Feln as the day wore on. The monastery, for the most part, had a continuous roof, so if an intruder could get to the top of the structure they could move anywhere in the monastery undetected. He noted, though, that trees had been trimmed away from the buildings, so no one could climb up to the roof without a ladder. There were ladders available, as he found a crew of laborers on top of the roof fixing damage from the previous night's storm. It was possible for an intruder to get on top of the building rather easily. The second thing that concerned Feln was he took the time to casually inspect the monks Kara brought with her, and he noted the only Kara and Ash had tattoos. Everyone else wasn’t marked or had covered up their tattoo by unknown means. He was certain, though, they could use magic. He wouldn’t be surprised if there were a dozen Furies. They were a contingent of seventeen or sixteen, so it was plausible.
Later the guards detained him, in retrospect he did appear suspicious, but he explained what he was doing and showed them the trees and shrubs he sketched. Feln returned to his room, reviewed the floor plan one more time, put his journal away, and went off to train. He didn’t see Caleth anywhere, and the other seventeen monks they brought with them were scattered, presumably they were off on other tasks, so he grabbed who he could and made them train with him. He was famished and tired, as the training was vigorous. His fellow Waskhal monks commended him on his dedication. He was preparing for the inevitable combat that would result from a tied vote for Master of Winter. He noticed the monks who were training at the facility gathered into groups from their monasteries, no intermingling, and the groups while not hostile, didn’t seem friendly toward each other. Djaa and Abram brought a few protectors with them, while Caleth and Kara brought many. It made sense to him that Kara was the one they should be watching.
The day wore on then the evening came and there was no change in the Grand Master, who was refusing appointments because of his condition. The Dragonmasters indicated that with rest and a few days of no interruptions, things would get back to normal. Tonight, everyone was invited to gather in the main hall for a proper supper prepared by Sabrin's cooks. All the monks were gathered together in one space, reminding him of a celebration. But the mood in the room was tense, not festive. Feln could see Kara’s monks at one large table, all seated close together and minding their own business. Kara caught his eye a few times and smiled, but gave no hint of what she was really thinking. He wondered what was going to happen next because of her plans. Djaa and his contingent of five monks were huddled in a corner, cowls drawn over their faces, voices quiet. Visitors who went to talk to them were turned away politely. Djaa looked preoccupied, distant. Abram was with his protectors from Renk, they appeared somber and still affected by the loss of Seveth. The Grand Master’s monks lined the other tables, not showing any signs that their leader being ill had affected their spirit or appetite. Caleth and the Waskhal monks ate in silence. The room was tense and Caleth looked worried because of it. Halfway through the meal, Caleth excused himself and left.
The monks dispersed for the evening once the plates, bowls, and utensils were cleared. It was getting dark outside and on the horizon it looked as if more storms were rolling in. Feln took his time making his way back to the barracks, strolling through the dimly lit monastery at a slow pace. Other monks were walking to unknown destinations, and when Feln grew weary of being turned away by the guards at different junctions, he returned to the barracks. Maybe tonight he would get sleep. As he walked to his room, he found Caleth’s door ajar. He half expected to see Kara there again. It wasn’t her, but another monk, a man he hadn’t seen before. The monk wore the red and gold accented robes reserved for the Dragonmasters. He was speaking with Caleth, obviously it wasn’t a private conversation because the door was open, then he bowed and went out of the room. The Dragonmaster acknowledged Feln as he went by and disappeared down the stairs.
“What was that all about?” Feln asked.
“That was Sondossasya,” Caleth responded. “He’s one of
the Dragonmasters. Beginning tonight he’s conducting interviews of the visiting personnel. It was a courtesy warning. I’ve known him for a long time, so he tells me things he shouldn’t. He said they were going to ask questions to help bolster security. He didn’t come right out and say it, but I think they are trying to sniff out the potential assassin.”
“I have observations for them on security. They’ve done a good job, but have a glaring vulnerability. The roof.” He pointed up. “If an intruder can get on the roof, they can move swiftly to nearly any point in the main monastery.”
“You’d still have to get through shingles and wood planking to get inside,” Caleth said. “Some of the domes might be made of masonry. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, but make your suggestion when Sondossasya interviews you. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”
“I will.”
“Anything else?” Caleth asked.
