by J. Thorn
“What is your stake in this, old man? Why are you trying to bring me down?”
“Don’t be so arrogant, Jaguar Knight. Not everything is about you.”
“Then enlighten me with your mystic presence.” Machek slathered his words with a mocking tone.
“Do you know what it is like to live many lifetimes on the outside? Do you, great warrior? Do you know how it feels to be shunned and examined with watchful eyes? Do you know how painful it is to be pushed to the edge of existence, marginalized, and patronized by your fellow citizens?”
Machek did not respond. He let the words continue to fall from Sianta’s mouth.
“Well, I do, and it ends today. The Dark One gave me new life. He values my powers and respects them.”
“He does nothing but use you for his own means,” said Desi, becoming agitated with each passing moment.
“Shut up, you primitive ape! I am not speaking to you.”
“You will respect my commanders as you respect me,” said Machek.
“What makes you think I respect you? Have no delusions about the reason for my presence. This bitch is powerless to summon me. I am here because it is my choice, not because she has brought me.” A sick and throaty laugh rumbled from Sianta’s mouth. “I want you to suffer in your defeat the way I was made to suffer in my loneliness.” The Soothsayer’s voice blasted off Sianta’s tongue. Her arms flailed, and spittle flew from her lips, her body shaking and shuddering with each passing moment. “I want you to know how I assisted the Dark One in the destruction of the One World. All will end, all will perish.”
“I can see the regiments of the infidels forming their lines as we speak. You share nothing of importance. You are the same worthless, superstitious fool you have always been,” Machek replied and spat on the ground. His muscles tensed, and his brow furrowed.
Sianta’s body unleashed an evil laughter. The sound shook the room. Falton shrank back in fear and loathing.
“It is my hand that helped to silence the warning.”
“Warning of what?” asked Machek. The old man’s spirit enjoyed teasing the lord major with his obscure message.
The Soothsayer shot the words from Sianta’s mouth. “The affliction rides towards the capital. It moves on the heels of the coalition and spreads death and destruction in its wake. When it arrives at the foot of the Empire, all will feel its wrath.”
“This is your home as well, old man. Why do you take perverse pleasure in the destruction of your own house?” asked Machek.
“My home? I have been shunned and laughed at for generations. What you call my home, I call my prison.” Sianta started to sob, making it difficult for the old man to continue the conversation.
“I have men on your trail. Your body is injured, and they will find you soon. Once they do, you will answer to your crimes against your people. I will show no mercy.”
Sianta’s body laughed again, this time a mixture of the sick laugh of the Soothsayer and the nervous twitter of a maiden. “It is too late. The die has been cast. Your destiny has been written, Lord Major of the Jaguar Knights. Your Book determined your fate long ago. You will reap what you sow.”
Before Machek could reply, Sianta’s head fell. Her chin rested on her chest, clumped strands of hair falling about her shoulders. Falton reached out to touch her arm and yanked his hand back when he made contact. A powerful and menacing energy passed through her.
“My love, I am almost to the light. I cannot continue with you. It is time for you to move now with the others. Laborious tasks stand in your way, but they are not impossible.” Shinta’s voice replaced the wicked croak of the Soothsayer. Sianta wiped tears from her eyes.
“His spirit is gone now, back into the female’s form. He refuses to return or speak again.”
“What can be done?” Machek asked Shinta.
“Lord Major, you must follow your instinct. Trust that the Spirit knows and will guide you. The beacon lies in your heart, and the hearts of your companions.”
“Mother, I love you,” said Sianta.
“I love you too, my dear. Know that my time of suffering ends. We shall embrace again on the wings of the Spirit. Serve peace and love. Outshine the encroaching wall of darkness, and do not succumb to its temptations.”
Sianta nodded and looked with tearful eyes at the ceiling. She could feel her mother’s spirit leaving the plane, destined for another existence, one free of pain and suffering. “She is gone,” she said.
“Do you think there is anything that can be done about the affliction?” Machek asked, with a vague, misty perception of the threat. He knew it was not something to be fought, but something to be feared.
“I do not know. I saw abbreviated glimpses of it through the eyes of the Soothsayer. What I could sense made me shudder with fear and despair. It is best for you to focus your energies on your regiments and the advancing coalition. You must trust that the Spirit will deal with the affliction and the greed of the Dark One.”
“Is the Soothsayer still in the capital?” Desi asked Sianta.
She had come back into her own body and recovered from the stress of channeling spirits. Relaying the messages of her mother drained her physical body of vital nutrients and fluids.
“Yes, and you may not find him in time. The Dark One has not released him, and it is not clear to me what role his spirit will play. I can tell you that the body his spirit holds captive fights to reject him. She has not given up, so there is still hope his damage can be contained.”
“Is that what we’re talking about now? Are we hoping to contain the Soothsayer and his wicked deeds?” Machek’s voice rose as a hint of desperation crept into his words.
“That is all we can do,” replied Sianta. “Each one of us has a role to play. Each one of has a burden to bear. I cannot tell you all will be well. I cannot see that far ahead and I don’t think the future is static. Many factors will determine the fate of the One World. The Soothsayer’s spirit is one, albeit a powerful one.”
Falton helped Sianta from the room. She steadied herself on his arm, her legs creeping forward as if the room tilted to one side. Her hair dangled in front of her face, masking the fatigue showing under her eyes. Falton escorted her to a room with a cot, and Machek posted a guard at the door even though Falton refused to leave.
Desi clasped his hand on Machek’s shoulder. The two men hurried through the hallways and towards the central plaza. Machek realized that it was time for men to lay down their lives for their beliefs, for their homeland, and for their children. If the Dark One manages to crumble the Empire with unseen hands, so be it, he thought.
The winds whistled through the streets of the Empire. Citizens boarded up their homes as stray dogs howled. The fading Sun God descended on the capital, casting accusatory hues over the doomed land. Soldiers faced the eastern horizon, destined to make their stand against the hordes of the infidels. Machek and Desi stood amongst the men as the Spirit sent them forth to their destiny.
Chapter 70
Shane’s black heart rejoiced at the talk of treason. He had disliked Zona from the moment he met the man. Zona’s self-righteous attitude had earned the favor of the Serpent King, and his sons had joined the ranks too, and were admired by the men.
He moved out of sight until Zona finished the conversation with his eldest son, Khutan. Shane watched Zona leave and followed him through the various camps of the coalition. When he was certain that Zona was not returning, he circled back towards Khutan, and removed his sharpened blade. It rang in the air as the sword slid from the sheath.
Khutan was gone. Shane looked around, brushing tent flaps aside with concern, swinging his sword and yelling at the empty camp. He was heading towards a regiment of the People of the Eagle when he spotted Khutan amongst another group of soldiers. They played cards and drank, as natural to warriors as eating and breathing. Shane turned and trotted off in the direction of Zona.
Zona came out of a tent, laughing and slapping a lord major on th
e shoulder. He moved to another and the scene repeated. Crazy plans and visions of mutiny ran through Shane’s head. He thought about the consequences of his actions through a muddled haze of fear and anger.
He decided to do nothing. When the battle began to rage, Shane would keep close tabs on both Khutan and Zona. Anything out of the ordinary would result in their deaths at his hand. In the causalities of battle, nobody would care. Shane circled around and headed towards the Serpent King’s camp. If he had heard Zona and Khutan’s entire plan, his decision might have been different.
***
“Where have you been?” asked the Serpent King. His eyes blinked with accusatory flashes and Shane trembled from the unspoken insinuations.
“I was attending to some final preparations, my lord.”
“Did they include the flower of a woman?”
Shane chuckled as the Serpent King delivered his question with the hint of a smile. “Unfortunately not. I’m hoping to celebrate our victory with Ri and Gishwan. With your blessing, of course.”
“Those two will be ready and willing after witnessing the combat. I’m not sure whether their lust for blood is greater than their lust for sex.”
Shane replaced the image of impalement from his mind with one of the Angels of Darkness entangled in sweaty flesh.
The Serpent King tilted a mug in Shane’s direction and emptied it. Shane marveled at his master’s ability to manage intoxicants.
“Sir, shall we fold up camp?”
“Yes, Lord Major Shane. Give the orders and make sure our two sirens are not involved in mischief. Instruct them to remain behind our litter. I do not want them in the heat of battle, risking capture by Machek’s forces.”
Shane nodded but did not leave. “Sir, there is something else.”
“Speak.”
“We have spent many nights together on our quest. It feels as though we near the end. What’s next?” Shane stepped back from the Serpent King, his muscles contracting into a defensive position.
“As you know, Machek’s forces will fall. We should have no problem taking the capital. What happens after that is the will of the Dark One. I can tell you that we will live like kings in this land called the One World. We will stand over the forests and the valleys and command the respect of all its creatures. One day, our seeds will germinate and spread, erasing all vestiges of these wretched people. It is within the power of the Dark One to eradicate and rebuild in his image. We are his tools. We are his image.”
Shane felt the spirit of the words move through his body, invigorating his tired mind and road-weary limbs. “What of the lord majors of the coalition? They will want a piece, will they not?”
“Yes, but even they will fall to us. We will march and burn the One World like a renegade sun god.”
“I am ready.”
“It is time to levy the blade of retribution on Machek’s breast. He will feel the anger of generations, and his spirit and his forces will disintegrate under the burden of conquest.”
“Do you want him to yourself?” asked Shane.
“Yes, if possible. If he must fall at your hands, that is acceptable also.”
“As you command, sir.”
The two walked amongst the camp, directing the commanders to their positions. The march to the gate of the capital would not take long. Spyglasses and spies returned with news of readiness from inside the capital. It did not appear as though the Empire would kneel at the feet of the coalition.
Chapter 71
The wind swept off the great plains, rushing towards the walled city with determination, and dancing through the empty streets of the capital. The citizens of the Empire cowered in their homes, behind locked doors and frightening predictions. Food had become an issue for the most unfortunate of the city. The beggars and destitute died on the smooth, cold flagstone while the wealthy counted the bodies from high above the street. The lord major had initiated the wartime ordinances. Any person wandering the streets could be contained on sight, and strict rationing of water devastated the poor because they owned no cisterns to store it. If they could not turn the infidels back in two or three days, the People of the Sun would die by the thousands.
The trusted regiments took their posts along the wall. Some of the best snipers in the One World stood ready to rain death upon the invaders. Machek finished his final preparations, sharpening his dagger, tying back his hair, and strapping on his shield. According to customary rules of warfare, he would not be part of the initial melee, but expected to engage in combat. Servants scattered themselves along the front of the advancing line, bowing to masters and their final requests. Machek had no more to say to his troops. The failure of the Jaguar Knights and forces of the Empire meant the destruction of the One World as they knew it.
With Desi at his side, Machek began the march towards the main gate of the capital. Women and children peered out from behind shuttered homes, hoping to catch a glimpse of hopeless salvation. Dogs, cut loose by their owners, circled the lord major in an attempt to engage him in a game of catch. Desi felt their protruding ribs under filthy coats. Other beasts lapped at the human waste tossed from the windows of the wealthy, left to stink and rot under the Sun God’s blaze. A block behind Machek, the war drums reverberated off the stone walls of the city. They rattled the doors of the capital and shook the hearts of the warriors. Soldiers marched behind Machek in their regiments, the butt ends of their spears striking the cobblestone avenues. Machek prayed to the Sun God for assistance in turning back the infidels.
Ten sentries stood guard at the main gate to the capital, watching the lord major approach with his regiments, and they ordered the ropes pulled. If the timing was right, the gate would start to swing open as Machek reached it. The soldiers looked neither excited nor scared. They had trained their entire lives to do this, and if they went beyond the Region of the Dead, so be it. To fight was honorable, the way of the warrior.
Machek and Desi stopped. The gears of the huge gate protested with an earsplitting squeal. The doors had not opened for days, and they wanted to stay that way. A blue sliver appeared between the two wooden doors, growing as the gears continued to move. The edge of the great plain met them, and the blue sky gazed down upon their forces. Machek’s eyes moved up from the street towards the horizon. He could not see where the plain merged with the sky, as thousands of moving and shifting forms blanketed it, the sheer number of warriors in their regiments hiding the horizon. Machek felt a twinge of despair rise in his throat and pushed it back down. A Jaguar Knight would not piss himself like a child. Desi turned to meet his gaze and said the same without speaking a word.
A hundred paces away, Machek could make out the sigils of the coalition. Each regiment flew its colors as well as the sign of the Serpent King, their leader. As the main gate yawned, the infidels chanted their ancient song. Although hundreds of disparate tribes from across the One World stood in the plain, the war chant remained constant across geography and time, swelling and filling the air with the traditional cadence. In response, Machek’s drummer intensified his beat. The tempo and volume rose to meet the challenge of the incantation.
Machek saw the faces of the men on the front line, the ones who would perish in mere moments once the battle began. Some wore paint, and others cried tears of fear and exhilaration. They clutched their weapons, teeth bared through cracked lips. Snarls met his gaze, powered by generations of abuse. The chief elder’s proclamation seemed foolish and pointless right now. It did nothing to quell the disturbance caused by the Empire’s greed.
Regiments of the infidels stood as far as Desi and Machek could see. The chanting reached fever pitch and became a wall of noise. It would not be long before the Serpent King would lose his ability to control the beast. Machek spotted the supreme commander of the coalition behind the first regiments on the battlefield. He sat atop a black stallion, dressed in his full battle regalia. Lord majors and other subordinates circled him. Custom dictated one final exchange between the two comm
anders before blood was spilled. He hoped the Serpent King would follow the tradition as his mare kicked into a gallop towards the heart of the enemy.
***
Shane let the soft wind brush the hair from his face as wisps of it touched his cheek. He looked up at the Serpent King, who sat higher on his steed than any of the others. The regiments had moved into place, and the men were ready for battle. The march across the One World had been exhausting and treacherous. The raw fury of the coalition begged for release.
The Serpent King remained fixated on the gate. He heard the moans and protests of its gears as the doors peeled open. Even from a distance, Lord Major Machek stood out from the rest. Pride and defiance surrounded the man and his steed as they stepped from the shadows of the citadel.
Shane looked around at the warriors gathered over many moons and many leagues. Zona stood behind and to his left. The Serpent King nodded towards him, and Zona turned and gave the command to start the ancient war chant. Within moments, the sea of warriors sent waves of incantations towards the capital. A handful of the Serpent King’s most trusted lord majors surrounded him and his caravan, the only traveling tent still assembled. Men knew the Angels of Darkness rode in it and knew better than to give it a second glance.
Visions of violence and bloodshed filled the eyes and hearts of those in the Order. Ri and Gishwan had spent nights taking seed and blood to ensure conversion of the coalition fighters before the first battle. They remained in their cots, nursing the swelling and bruises caused by dozens of men and their animalized lust. It would not take long for them to regenerate and continue with the conversions. But for now, they would have to sit back and observe the battle until their time came.
