The Leopard Stratagem (Leopard King Saga Book 2)

by T. A. Uner

  Tullus watched Caltus fighting off a dismounted rider. The youth’s face was covered in soot while his left shoulder had suffered a cut. Tullus ran toward Hradack, who was about to launch an energy pulse at Caltus’s opponent, and restrained him.

  “Tullus, release me!” The Leopard Master said.

  “He needs to fight this one out on his own,” Tullus said.

  Caltus laboriously managed to defeat his opponent who threw down his weapon and ran toward the retreating riders. Tiranus Wolfsbane galloped toward his retreating men.

  “Stand and fight you fools!” he cried out. Tiranus drew his sword, but Plato the Gorilla hurled one of the Wolfguard’s corpses at him, knocking him off of his steed. He dropped his sword and struggled to stand up from the mucky ground. He turned to face Tullus and the others. “This isn’t over Leopard king.” And after mounting his horse he followed his retreating troops.

  Tullus clapped Caltus on the back. The young man turned toward him and smiled. “Did…did we win Tullus?”

  Celestra approached them both alongside Mithras. Tullus sheathed LeopardClaw. “Yes, Caltus, we won the day.”

  {V}

  Stone Ram was not happy.

  Hyena and his pets were always stealing his food when he was asleep. When he awoke he would find crumbs scattered around his knapsack. Not a good way to maintain their uneasy partnership. “I’m tired of you two stealing my food!” Ram told the dogs.

  Hyena stared at him, void of expression. The two spotted Wild dogs laughed at Ram. As if mocking him.

  I should’ve killed this shitworm, Ram thought. What’s happening to me anyway? Am I getting soft?

  Hyena stood up and nocked an arrow in his bow. Ram instinctively went for the hilt of his sword. Hyena launched an arrow at the bushes to the left of where Ram stood. Moments later he reseated himself before he motioned to one of his two pets to head toward the foliage. One of his Hyena snorted and ran off. When it returned it was carrying a plump pheasant in his jaw. It dropped the bird at Ram’s feet.

  Ram picked up the dead bird and smiled. It had been a while since he had eaten pheasant meat. He stored the bird in his knapsack and gathered his belongings before breaking camp.

  “You coming?” he asked Hyena.

  The taciturn scavenger remained motionless. The lack of emotion in his companion’s demeanor made it difficult for Ram to ascertain Hyena’s motives.

  Is he going to follow me or stick a knife in my back? The Stone Ram wondered. With a man like Hyena he could never tell.

  He followed a trail that made its way through the forest. Up ahead, he heard the sounds of men. As Ram continued his trek, he noticed it was the remnants of a beaten force. Not quite an army, more like a raiding party. The faces of the riders they encountered looked beaten. There were also others, some hairy-looking beasts resembling wolves walking on two feet. Their fur was bloodstained while others had arms in slings. They too looked thoroughly drained.

  A long-haired man rode up towards Ram and Hyena, while Quick-Kill and Slow-Death yelped at the rider. “And who might you two be?”

  “I’m called Stone Ram, and this deaf wretch is Hyena.”

  The long-haired man eyed them both. “What business do you have here?”

  Ram did not like this man’s tone. “We’ve told you who we are, shouldn’t you return the courtesy?”

  The long haired man smirked at Ram as the two spotted hyena circled near his steed’s legs. Their presence made the horse uneasy and it whickered nervously.

  “I am Tiranus Wolfsbane,” he replied. “Oldest son of Lord Jarkos Wolfsbane.”

  Ram had heard rumors of this Jarkos Wolfsbane. He was supposedly some sort of skin-shifting warlord who ruled a clan of Wolfmen.

  “You still haven’t told me why you’re here,” Tiranus said.

  “We’re bounty hunters, me and Hyena hear are tracking a man they call the Leopard King. There is a bounty on his head.”

  Tiranus’ eyes widened before they narrowed. “I know. Did the Snake Lord send you?”

  How could he know about Serpentus?

  “Yes,“ Ram replied cautiously.

  “My men were attacked by him and his allies,” Tiranus said. “We suffered great losses.”

  “I see.”

  Tiranus stared at Hyena. “Your friend doesn’t talk much.”

  “No, but he can read lips.”

  “I shall make you both an offer. If you and your companion join us, we shall split the reward.”

  The wild dogs laughed at Tiranus. Ram felt like laughing too. “Why would we want to split our share of the bounty with you?”

  Tiranus grunted. “Look what has become of my men,” he said, pointing at the paltry remnants of his once-fearsome force. “My father’s best riders and Wolfguard bested by The Leopard King, an old man and his wife, a Pygmy and four Incantra. What chance would you two have against those odds. Besides, they know Elemence.”

  “Elemence?” Ram said.

  “Yes,” Tiranus said before spitting. “You need us and much as we need you, besides if we succeed my father would probably offer you and your companion positions within our clan. We are always looking for capable men.”

  Ram turned around and looked at Hyena. “What do you think?” he asked his deaf companion. Hyena was silent for a few moments before he nodded.

  Tiranus smiled at his two new recruits as his remaining forces continued to file by them. “Come, friends, let us plan our next assault together.”

  {VI}

  Croctus Reptilius didn’t like losing.

  He tried to recall the last time he had been unable to seize his quarry at the first attempt. The memory of defeat eluded him. Sawtooth was dazed too. Despite his efforts, he had inflicted minimal injury to their quarry, but the crocodile was always ready for another fight. Reptilius would give his reptilian friend another opportunity. For him anger served no purpose. It clouded the mind and only made his job more difficult. He would just have to alter his next approach. To him, this was only a temporary setback.

  They returned to their camp and decided to rest for the night. Reptilius’ whip was beyond repair. He threw it into the campfire and watched it burn. Not to worry he had another one. He went through his supplies while Sawtooth dined on a fowl they had purchased from a farmer.

  He went through his equipment and eyed the various weapons at his disposal. The explosives had thrown the Leopard King off balance. He gathered some of it and placed it in his belt pouch.

  But the old man was a problem. He knew magic, and magic was always unpredictable.

  He removed an amulet from a small traveling case. He stared at the onyx stone his father had given him in his own reality and remembered what he had been told about its special power. Cursing his carelessness, he knew he should’ve worn it in the first place, then perhaps the outcome of the battle would’ve been different. Sawtooth swaggered into the tent before opening his maw to grunt. Reptilius stared at his scaly friend and showed the crocodile the amulet. “Let the Leopard King try fighting us now.”

  Seventeen/Septendecim

  By late May, a fever had taken hold of Rome, leaving many citizens ill.

  Many died from it. Drusilla’s sudden affliction left Caligula without counsel. He stayed at her bedside for days. His thoughts turned to her well-being. He did not know what he would do if she did not survive. Life would have no meaning. He held her limp hand in his. It was warm. The Medicus had warned him not to stay close to Drusilla for fear of infection. Caligula’s eyes were wet with tears. Behind him stood Drusilla’s husband, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, eying Caligula and his wife.

  “Will she live?” Marcus asked.

  Caligula remained silent.

  Stupid question, Caligula thought. You should be worried if I’ll let you live. If she dies, I’ll have you executed.

  The Medicus entered the room and checked on Drusilla, who was asleep.

  “Is there any hope?” Caligula asked dejectedly.

  “I s
hall do everything in my power to save her, Excellency,” the Medicus replied.

  “I’m sure you will,” Caligula said, “for if you cannot save her from death you will join her.”

  The Medicus’ face turned pale and he bowed respectfully to Caligula before exiting the room.

  “I think you should leave us,” Caligula said to Marcus.

  “But she is my wife, Gaius,” Lepidus said.

  Caligula shot Marcus a baleful glare. Lepidus nodded and shuffled out of Drusilla’s bedroom. Caligula’s head swarmed with visions, and he rubbed his eyes. The strange, enchanting voice had returned. It continued to remind him of the dangerous future which would unfold if the Dryad issue was not dealt with. He stood up and walked over toward the balcony to get some air. The sun resembled an orange as it hung lazily in the sky overhead. Hadn’t he done enough to silence the voice? He had ordered every last suspected Dryad home raided and its occupants detained.

  You must listen to me! The voice said. My student will visit you and explain our plan.

  It all sounded too strange for Caligula. He had enough to deal with, the state treasury was nearly empty and he was running out of ideas on how to procure additional finances. There were only so many wealthy men whose assets he could seize.

  Both Drusilla and Chaerea had warned him the dangers of his actions. But Caligula paid little heed to the words of a man whose right testicle was missing.

  Even if he did lose it serving my father I owe nothing more than the position I bequeathed him.

  He kissed Drusilla’s cheek and whispered into her ear, “Please do not leave me, sister.”

  He swaggered out of Drusilla’s bedroom. Outside his German bodyguards were waiting.

  “Make sure no one comes into her room except for the Medicus,” he told two of them.

  The German pair nodded and assumed a defensive position in front of the bedroom door.

  “I shall go to my own room,” he said.

  My student shall visit you there, the voice said. To Caligula it sounded like a serpent speaking to him.

  Am I going mad? It was not easy assuming the role of a god in a human body. Perhaps his fragile human form was finally beginning to decay. Perhaps a sacrifice or two for his fellow gods would abate the process.

  In his room he ordered his remaining bodyguards to wait outside. He lit his opium pipe and inhaled the fumes. Despite what the Medicus had told him, the opium had not affected his sex drive. But it did lessen the pain in his heart. The fumes rose from the pipe’s chamber. He stared at them: translucent and stringy, like tiny serpents they coiled around each other until they merged together to form the face of a man. He wore a helm resembling a serpent head. The eyes, thin nose and mouth stared at him indifferently.

  Where have I seen that face before?

  “Caligula,” the image said, “hear me.”

  Caligula inhaled another lungful of opium and exhaled. The sweet pungent scent tickled his face. “Who in fuck’s name are you?”

  The face remained indifferent. “My name is Serpentus, I have been sent by my teacher to act as your trusted ally.”

  “I am a god,” Caligula replied before inhaling more opium. “Gods do not need allies, only subjects.”

  “Bah! I offer you the wisdom of The Five.”

  Caligula laughed. “Now why would I need that?”

  “Because,” the image paused, “your empire is crumbling; you need my counsel.”

  He has a point, Caligula thought.

  “What is your name?”

  I must be going insane, I am conversing with a hallucination.

  “I am Serpentus…a Snake Lord.”

  “Interesting name.”

  For a charlatan.

  “Do not mock me, Caligula. My powers may be beyond your understanding, but they demand respect.”

  Caligula nearly dropped his pipe. How could this hallucination read his mind?

  “My powers demand respect,” it repeated.

  So they do.

  Caligula placed his pipe inside a bowl. The image remained transfixed before him. Caligula saw a fearsome-looking serpent appear next to the face.

  He stood up and walked toward the door of his bedroom. “Guards, come inside,” he said. The emperor pointed at Serpentus’ image floating in midair. “Do you see that?” he asked the guards.

  The two mercenaries looked around stupidly before shaking their heads.

  “You fools!” Caligula pouted. “Don’t you see him?”

  “Your Godship,” one of them asked, “what is it that we are supposed to see?”

  “Be gone!” Caligula said, waving the two brutes out of the room. He slumped back into his chair. Perhaps the other Roman gods were punishing him by sending this Serpentus to torment him.

  “Listen to me,” Serpentus said. “Only you can save the Empire from total collapse. But you cannot do it alone.”

  “Perhaps I did not make myself clear, earlier. I am a god!”

  Serpentus’ image scowled at him. “Ignore me at your own peril.”

  “What is that suppose to mean?”

  “Look,” Serpentus’ image dissipated and moments later the translucent mist solidified into an image of Drusilla’s bedroom. He saw himself hunched over her bedside, crying. Caligula felt a cold hand on his shoulder and turned around. He saw himself staring into the eyes of Serpentus.

  “Your face,” he mumbled. “I know it.”

  Serpentus nodded. “I was once called Norbanus Forticus Blandus.”

  “Norbanus? You? How can this be? I banished you last winter.”

  “I remember,” Serpentus replied. Next to him the serpent’s red eyes stared fulsomely at Caligula.

  “Why should I listen to any word you say? You failed me.”

  Serpentus grinned, and for a moment, his facial expression reminded Caligula of the arrogant Tribune who had failed to deliver him the Leopard King. “Because, if you don’t heed my words, your beloved sister will die. I alone have the power to save her. My teacher has been training me in the mystic arts of Serpent Eye.”

  “You’re lying,” Caligula said. He turned to face the image of himself and Drusilla but it was no longer there. Instead he saw a gravestone. He felt his heart tremble in his chest.

  “Take a closer look at the name inscribed on the gravestone,” Serpentus said.

  “What does it say?”

  Serpentus pushed him. He landed on his feet. His knees brushed against the cold ground before he inched toward the grave. He squinted and when he saw the words inscribed upon it, his heart dropped into his stomach.

  Here lies Julia Drusilla: Beloved sister of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus

  “No! It cannot be.”

  “It is…now will you heed my words?”

  Caligula dropped to his knees before Serpentus. “Please! Save her! I’ll do anything you ask of me,” he cried.

  Serpentus chuckled. “I know you will.”

  {II}

  Serpentus rode into Rome upon Shadowstar. Flanking him was Afaa on horseback while Chaos Spikeskull trailed them on a muscular brown steed of his own. Maelstrom, not possessing ardor for the sunlight, crept through the shadows.

  “Thissss is a waste of time and Vigor,” Afaa said. “We should be looking for the Door.”

  “I have a promise to keep to five men who aided me, Teacher,” Serpentus replied. “If we are to gain followers we must start with them.”

  They spent the better part of a day looking around the city taverns. Maelstrom had located the men Serpentus sought. It was in the dingy confines of the Sword & Bat Tavern. Five familiar sets of eyes peered at him when he stood over their table.

  “My friends,” Serpentus said, “as promised, I have returned.” He tossed a small drawstring bag onto the table as gold coins spilled out of it. Kronus looked at him and nodded while the others eyed the coins greedily. “So…you have kept your promise Norbanus.”

  “Yes, did you think I would forget those who delivered
me from ruin?” Serpentus said.

  “Where did you get the strange armor?” Mirant asked.

  “Allow me to introduce my new armourer, Chaos Spikeskull.” The Five Fists stared at the taciturn armourer before their eyes fell on Afaa. “And this is my teacher, Afaa Quetznāgal.”

  “Teacher?” Kronus said.

  “Yes.” Serpentus seated himself at the table. “I am a Snake Lord now. Skilled in the art of Serpent Eye.”

  Kronus’ expression was indifferent. The other Fists looked at Serpentus disbelievingly.

  “It is not safe to speak of such things in public,” Kronus said. “We could get arrested. Or worse, crucified for discussing sorcery.”

  Serpentus laughed. “You have nothing to fear my friends.”

  “How can you be so sure, Norbanus?” Sirath asked.

  “I no longer go by that name,” Serpentus said. “I am called Serpentus.”

  All The Fists laughed, except Kronus. “I must insist you explain yourself.”

  Serpentus focused his anger on one of the mugs on the table. It lifted itself off the surface of the table while everyone stared at it. Afaa grinned. It then shattered in mid-air causing wine to spray the table. Again, The Five Fists stared at Serpentus disbelievingly.

  “How did you do that?” Kronus asked.

  “That, my friends, is only a taste of my power, and with Caligula’s support I shall soon have more influence within the Roman Empire.” The Fists stared at him silently. “You once told me you wished to serve a worthy lord. Well, I am offering you that chance. Plus wealth and power. Fine men like you deserve nothing less.”

  Kronus and the others stood up and clenched their fists before beating them against their chests. “The Five Fists are your loyal comrades in arms,” Kronus said.

  “Excellent,” Serpentus said. “Now, let us visit our illustrious Emperor.”

  Within the next three days, Caligula had allocated Serpentus, Afaa and the rest of their retinue a permanent living quarters within the palace, while Maelstrom continued to watch over the Door which waited for them in Yeshiva’s warehouse. Serpentus had focused his attention on organizing his new forces and arming them with the proper weapons forged by Chaos Spikeskull’s talent. The Five Fists were outfitted with the best armor and weapons money could buy, and now served as Serpentus’ personal guard.