Juxta, Magi

by Porter, Geoffrey C

  William stepped forward. "Lynken is besieged. Nork is fighting. Weslan and the druids are fighting. The druids sent us here to rally the cat-riders."

  The cat-rider smiled his broadest smile. "It's to be war, finally!"

  Teresa said, "You're glad there's war?"

  The cat-rider's head bobbed up and down. "We've waited countless generations for the druids to call upon us. We'll ride ahead of you to Kerg and herald your approach."

  "Hopefully the rest of the cat-riders will be as enthusiastic about war as you two," William said.

  "They will be." On that note, the two cat-riders nudged their mounts along the road into a fast gallop.

  The group marched on the road for the better part of the morning. They came upon a farmstead with a sign by the road with a picture of a horse and the word "Horses" painted in common and in Druidish. As they approached the farmhouse, a woman in her thirties rode up to them on a black stallion. "What's your business here?"

  Simon said, "We need mounts. We've business in Kerg."

  "You're at the right place. My name is Katherine."

  She led the way to the barn. It had maybe forty stalls in all, thirty of which contained horses. Simon and William started looking over the horses, being the experts on horses. Simon smiled. "Any of these will serve. Lady Katherine, you raise fine animals."

  "Skip the ‘Lady', young sir. It makes me feel old."

  "What are four horses going to cost us?" William asked.

  "Two gold pieces each."

  Simon said, "Seems a little pricey…"

  "Well, you're not going to ride bareback to Kerg are you? So, you need saddles. You're not planning to starve the horses to death are you? No, so you'll need grain. Plus, I know you're from Lynken--the ranger's leathers give you away. You must be on the king's business. I've no love of kings. I figure you can afford two pieces of gold. Unless you wish to haggle over a few dozen silver pieces. I've time to haggle. I've haggled for days before."

  Teresa said, "Katherine, you're a robber…"

  "There's another horse farm hereabouts." Katherine pointed off to the left. "He doesn't breed them as well as I do. For a price, I'll give you directions to his place."

  "Eight gold pieces for four horses," William said. "Consider it done, Katherine. We're in haste. If you could hurry with the saddles and grain, I'd appreciate it."

  She said, "Let's see the color of your money."

  He counted out eight gold pieces from their limited treasury and handed them to her. She gave a loud whistle, and three stable hands appeared from out of nowhere. "Four saddles and plenty of grain bags, now!"

  Katherine watched the stable hands for a moment then she directed her gaze at William. "It's almost midday. Would you like to stay for lunch?"

  "No, we really are in haste."

  Katherine asked, "What's so important in Kerg?"

  Juxta spoke for the first time. "We're rallying the cat-riders per the command of the druids. There's war in Lynken."

  "The Druids are finally calling on the cat-riders to fight a war, oh my God."

  Teresa shook her head. "What's so strange about that? Haven't the cat-riders fought in wars before?"

  "Not for a thousand years, dear. The druids are only supposed to call on them if the threat has the potential to reach Kergia. It's surprising that a war in Lynken could reach this far, but the druids are wiser than me."

  By then, the stable hands had brought forth four saddles and grain bags for the horses. Simon inspected the saddles and nodded with a grin. They said goodbye to Katherine and set off in a trot on the road to Kerg.

  The road wound its way through grassy hills. They raced until sundown and camped. They set out again at dawn. At midday they reached a town and stopped at an inn for lunch. The innkeeper questioned them about the war in Lynken, and they told him what they knew. Upon leaving the inn, William asked Juxta to scry on his father's whereabouts. Juxta complied and stated matter-of-factly, "He's alive, and they're keeping him in the large mausoleum in Terc. The castle still stands. The ogres don't seem to have made any kind of assault recently." They rode until sunset, and Simon bagged a goose with his bow. Game seemed plentiful in Kergia, and they camped under the stars. It rained on them the following morning. At 200 miles from Kerg, they ran into the first mile-markers. Simon brought down more geese for them at each meal.

  They arrived at Kerg, a sprawling city with gardens and farms nestled in between neat rows of houses and marketplaces. Cat-riders met them at the outskirts of the city and bid them welcome. The riders escorted them to the palace and the guest quarters. They told the troop that the king would summon them shortly. William changed into his fineries as did Teresa. A scribe escorted them to the throne room within an hour.

  The throne room was lit by burning torches and windows high up in the walls. The king sat atop a wooden throne with a giant black cat at his feet.

  "Greetings, I'm Prince William. Simon, Juxta, and Teresa are my companions." William waved towards each of them.

  "My name is James," the king said. "You bring word from the druids?"

  "They request you mobilize your cat-riders to help end the siege of Lynken."

  "Good, good… We've already sent riders out to gather up our border patrols. We should be able to mobilize all our forces within a few days." The king paused, looking them over. "I have a gift I'd like to give each of you." Then he stood up. "Follow me, please."

  He led them to a large stable of sorts with row upon row of open pens. The king said, "These are our birthing pens. Let me show you a litter of kittens we have."

  His idea of kittens turned out to be almost as big as a mountain lion with oversized paws and faces. Seven kittens made up the litter, all different, as if from different parents. The mother lay there, and she looked up at the humans dully. The kittens all napped in a huddle.

  "No human has touched these kittens yet, and they'll form a strong bond easily with the first human to touch them," King James said. "This litter is very special. Only once in a generation is such a litter born. You should each pick one. We'd usually give them to our most promising youths, but tradition dictates we offer them to royal guests, if we have any at the time when the kittens are ready."

  "What will we do with kittens, your highness?" William asked.

  King James laughed. "Raise them into trusty steeds."

  Simon stepped forward. "I'll choose one."

  He reached out and petted an all white kitten. It leapt upwards and grasped his wrist with its front paws. Then it extended its claws into the ranger's leather and wrapped its hind legs around Simon's elbow. It started to gnaw on Simon's leathers. "I'll name it Rollin." He tried to shake it off his arm to no avail.

  "Good that you were wearing leathers. That's a feisty one for sure," King James said. "He'll be a good hunter."

  William stepped forward slowly trying not to startle the kittens. He reached out and touched a yellow-striped kitten with just the tip of his finger. It rose to its feet and strode up to the prince's legs. Then it sat down on its hind quarters and puffed out its chest as if in pride. Simon tried to shake off the white one again. He started petting it hoping to calm it.

  Teresa looked over at Juxta who said, "Ladies first."

  Teresa leaned over a spotted one and picked it up by the skin on the back of its neck. The kitten didn't even wake up. Teresa held it up higher. "I think mine is broken." At that point, the kitten yawned and showed its teeth and claws. She set it down at her feet, and it curled up in a ball.

  Juxta stepped forward and picked up a grey-striped one. It started to purr, and Juxta held it with both arms. It slept through being picked up and being held.

  King James said, "Excellent, let's feast tonight."

  "We know nothing about raising these cats…" William said. "What should we do?"

  "Keep them fed. Let them hunt and play. Don't let others handle them," King James shook his head. "They're attached to you. They can be very dangerous to others. They're
bred for war and killing."

  The king led them back to his great hall. A great feast was laid out on long tables before them. They fed their cats by hand from their seats. After the feast the king's musicians played music. Simon held out his hand to Teresa and whispered, "Dance with me." Teresa grabbed his hand, and they took to the floor.

  A young woman in a long white dress sat next to the king, and William approached her and smiled. He bowed and held out his hand. "Would you care to dance, my lady?"

  She giggled and took his hand.

  Juxta didn't dance. The next morning they woke early with the kittens pressed against them in their beds. A scribe wanted to take them to the king. Their kittens followed. The king said, "Good morning, my friends."

  William said, "Good morning, your highness."

  "The cat-riders will be ready to leave in two days. We'll take the long way around the Great Swamp, but we'll make better time than you will on horseback. It might be better if you four left sooner than later. We should plan to meet at the druid's capital."

  William said, "We'll leave today."

  King James nodded.

  They breakfasted with the king and went to see to their horses. They grabbed their packs from the guest quarters, picked up more dried rations from the king's stocks, and rode out of Kerg.

  Chapter 22

  The chosen one who commands an army of hell-warriors. - The Old Scroll.

  The kittens ran alongside the horses. When they stopped for lunch, the cats prowled around. They built a fire in a meadow by a pond. All but Juxta's feline left the campsite with their noses to the ground. Simon's white kitten returned to camp first. It carried a wild duck which it dropped next to Simon. He rubbed the cat behind the ears. He cleaned the duck, and they started roasting it. William's yellow striped beast brought back a fish and wet paws. Teresa's came back empty-mouthed. The kittens slept with their masters that night.

  The next morning they set out at dawn and rode hard. They stopped in a small town at an inn for lunch. The innkeeper provided them with raw chicken to feed their kittens. Within a few days they reached Katherine's farm. Katherine agreed to buy back the horses and saddles for three gold pieces. They walked the ten miles to town. Their boat waited for them untouched. They stayed in the inn one last night before venturing into the swamp.

  The kittens eyed the boat as the humans climbed aboard. The cats would step one paw onto the boat, then pull it back. Juxta's grey striped kitten leapt onto the boat, and the humans coaxed the others.

  Simon worked the push-pole while Juxta and the prince rowed. The gentle rocking of the boat put the kittens to sleep in curled balls in the bottom of the vessel. Juxta caught sight of a wild boar and killed it with lightning. They roasted it that night for dinner, and the kittens liked roasted boar. The cats patrolled the land mass and returned to the campsite. Two days into the swamp, and they noticed the first lizardmen following them. Juxta threw a fireball over the lizardmen's heads, and they splashed off. The kittens started sitting on the edge of the boat looking into the water. Occasionally they would bat a paw at the water presumably trying to snare a fish.

  They spent five more days uneventfully in The Great Swamp. They found their way to the town with their horses. The innkeeper grinned from ear-to-ear when he saw the young troop. He offered them a room for the night for free. Well, in trade, they didn't need the flat bottom boat anymore. They enjoyed the inn as it sure beat camping in the swamp. Simon checked on their horses. They stayed the night and set out at dawn the next day. They camped next to an ancient forest. As they lay down to sleep, a wave of nausea assaulted Juxta's senses and a dark, dank smell of death crept into his nostrils. His eyes narrowed, and he clenched at his staff. "Shhh…" He looked around and picked a direction to point in. "Quickly, a Hellsteed approaches."

  Simon and William sprang to their feet and drew their blades. William snarled. "Where?"

  Juxta pointed into the forest. "I must face him alone. You two don't stand a chance."

  "I'll dream of Tree Nymphs and Lotus flowers," Simon said with a bit of a drooling smile. "My mind will be safe."

  "They teach us how to shield our thoughts from necromancers in the rangers," William said. "Juxta, wait here with Teresa. We'll deal with Rivek."

  "My lord?" Juxta said.

  "He's ours, wizard." William tapped Simon on the shoulder. "You go left. I'll go right."

  Simon smiled and went left into the woods. William headed to the right.

  After a few moments Teresa said, "Go and help them."

  Juxta sighed. He headed straight and true in the direction of the Hellsteed. He sensed Rivek's dark presence as he summoned power. Rivek shouted, "You can shield your minds, Rangers. How about your bodies?"

  Juxta started summoning power and took off in a run. He burst into a clearing, and Simon and William hung in mid-air scratching and clawing at their throats with their useless blades stuck in the dirt. Juxta shouted, "Looking for me, Rivek!"

  An unholy black fire burned in the necromancer's eyes. His skin had grown leathery, and his hands were covered in what might have been dirt, but it might have been dried blood too. "Boy, you're a fool. I've come for the crown. You don't concern me."

  Lightning crashed from above on Rivek's form hitting a powerful shield. Juxta smiled and started summoning more and more power.

  The shield held, but Simon and William dropped to the ground and gasped for breath. Juxta hit at the madman again, this time throwing a great ball of fire. Rivek deflected the fireball. "I grow stronger every day. We'll meet again."

  Rivek kicked his Hellsteed into motion fleeing the scene faster than any mortal transport could move. Juxta ran up to William and bent over him. "My liege!"

  William pointed back into the woods and gasped for breath. "The crown's with Teresa."

  Juxta's eyes opened wide, and he sprinted. William and Simon pushed themselves up and started running.

  They ran through the woods. Teresa looked up at them and smiled when they reached her. "Is he dead?"

  William said, "No."

  Simon said, "Next time."

  Within a few more days, they were within sight of the Druidish capital, and a group of cat-riders camped outside the city's wall. They approached the riders, and a lieutenant briefed William, "A thousand cat-riders are here, and roughly four thousand more are en route. They should all be here within a week."

  William said, "Thank you, Lieutenant."

  They entered the city and headed towards the palace. A scribe showed them to Quann's residence. Quann shouted out a hello.

  Juxta said, "Greetings, Quann."

  "They gave you kittens!" Quann said while blinking and grinning. "That's reserved for their most honored guests. The cat-riders are close to assembling fully here. Thirty master druids and forty apprentices will fight in the war. Weslan is going to send a hundred master wizards and one hundred and fifty apprentices. Nork has been contacted by courier, and their forces are planning to meet us on the road between Weslan and Lynken."

  William's eyes closed, and he whispered, "Good."

  "Did you have any problem in The Great Swamp?"

  Teresa said, "Besides the bugs, no."

  Robert whispered in Juxta's ear, "I helped with the bugs. Ask him about putting me to rest."

  "We met a soul in limbo in the Lost City," Juxta said. "We're hoping he can be put to rest."

  Quann frowned. "A soul in limbo? What does that mean?"

  Robert materialized. "I'm lost."

  Quann started to back away just a bit. "I've never heard of such a thing before. Perhaps we can address the matter after the war."

  "Of course, after the war…" Robert snapped his fingers and turned invisible again.

  "In The Great Swamp, we met with the lizardmen's king," Simon said. "He wears a magical crown like the one our prince carries. What's their origin?"

  "Each crown has its own powers. They were constructed more than an eon ago by a powerful but insane wizard. There we
re originally six of the crowns. We knew Lynken had one, and it's interesting that the lizardmen king has one. We're not sure what happened to the other crowns. We believe most of them were destroyed. The crowns hold great power, but each carries a heavy burden with it, too."

  William let out a low little grunt. "Dad always said our line forged the crown. That one of my direct ancestors mined the gold and gems."

  "No, Isher forged them for a powerful necromancer."

  The prince sighed.

  They stayed the night in an inn. Over the next few days, cat-riders showed up in groups of 1,000. Once all 5,000 arrived, the druids assembled with them on horseback, and they started the journey to Weslan. The cat-riders made better time than the druids on horseback. They rode ahead of the druids and made camp early giving the cats time to hunt a bit for wildlife. William, Simon, Juxta, and Teresa rode with the druids. The riders stayed up late into the night placing bets on how many ogres each of them would kill. The ride to Weslan passed without incident.

  On reaching Weslan, William's troop went before the council. Kirl sat with the other council members. He smiled and nodded at the troop. An elder council member said, "You've rallied the druids and the cat-riders. This is shaping up into a real war."

  "It started as a real war for us!" William yelled.

  The elder council member shrugged. "We leave at dawn. Within two weeks we'll lift the siege and push the ogres out of Lynken."

  William bowed. "Many thanks."

  They stayed at the palace that night, and true to their word, wizards and apprentices saddled up and rode by the sides of the druids in the direction of Lynken. Within four days they met up with the army of Nork, roughly ten thousand foot soldiers. They crossed the border into Lynken. Farms still stood by the sides of the king's highway. They had figured the Tercian forces would scorch the earth. They marched and rode on to the capital. Simon wanted to play scout and ride ahead of the main body of troops, but the cat-riders were doing that job well enough. They ran into a group of one hundred ogres encamped by the side of the road. The cat-riders surrounded them and then cut them down with crossbows. Their cats sniffed at the corpses as if wondering if they were edible, but none of the cats ate.