Abuud: the One-Eyed God

by Richard S. Tuttle

  "Good," replied Duke Everich. "What about these mercenaries? Have you found a way to infiltrate them so we can get to the protected councilors without a major assault?"

  "We have had little luck in that arena," frowned Colonel Salvo. "The Grakus Mercenary Company and the Koman Mercenary Company appear to be made up of ex-Rangers. They each say that their rosters are full and they need no more men. We have been unable to get a single man into either organization."

  "Then how am I to expect that you will carry out the eliminations that I require?" queried Duke Everich. "Are you telling me that those councilors are beyond my reach?"

  "No, Sir," answered Colonel Salvo. "We will find a way to accomplish the task. It just will not be possible through infiltration."

  "I do not care much for the delay this is causing in my plans," snapped Duke Everich. "Find a way to get to those councilors, and find it quickly. What about the search for Queen Marta?"

  "My men have scoured the city and all of the places that she would go," responded Colonel Salvo. "I have even sent men to Dalek and Bordon and they have found no evidence that she has been there. I suspect that she is dead."

  "I want proof of her death," demanded Duke Everich. "Bring me her head, whether she is dead or not. If she makes it to the Royal Palace it will be messy to eliminate her. The Council has approved a resolution providing for her bodyguard to be outside the control of the army. It will not be as easy to eliminate her as it was King Byron."

  "Even with her own bodyguards, she will not be safe in this city," smirked Colonel Salvo. "A couple of dozen bodyguards are not going to save her."

  "Very well," conceded Duke Everich. "The Council resolution allows her and her bodyguards entrance to the city and the Royal Palace, but if she manages to get there, you had best deliver on her destruction. I will hold you personally responsible."

  "You know you can count on me, Sir," saluted Colonel Salvo.

  Chapter 18

  Ongchi

  Arik marveled at the harbor full of strange-shaped ships as the Marchek Shipping Company ship docked in Ongchi. There were ships of every shape and size. Some were powered by sails and others by oarsmen, but no two ships looked alike. The harbor was so teeming with ships that it seemed inevitable to Arik that collisions must be an everyday occurrence. The buildings of the city were also strange to the Sordoan. Most of the roofs visible were covered with tiles, and the corners of the roofs were upswept. Bright colors covered the roofs and walls of most buildings, and Arik thought the city had a vivid exotic look about it.

  As the ship was tied to the dock, dozen of dockworkers scrambled about in a seemingly unorganized manner. Several dozen uniformed men stood on the dock scrutinizing the ship as the gangplank was put in place. The soldiers' uniforms were a light olive, and Arik had never seen anything like them before. Arik felt the presence of the ship's captain before he saw him.

  "Do not forget the papers I gave you," the captain warned softly. "Each trip here appears to show more scrutiny of foreigners. You should get out of the capital city as soon as possible."

  Arik nodded silently and then nodded to his two fellow travelers. He held Chaco's reins and led the way across the gangplank. Tedi and Wylan followed Arik off the ship, and the soldiers stopped them all when they tried to exit the dock area.

  "Foreigners must stay on the ships," snapped one of the soldiers, who Arik assumed was an officer because of the red stripes across his sleeves.

  "We are bound for Barouk," explained Arik. "The ship does not go any further than Ongchi."

  "Foreigners are not allowed in Barouk," retorted the officer. "Only those with Imperial permission can enter Lanoir. Return to the ship."

  Arik produced his papers and held them out to the officer. "I have these papers allowing me to go to Barouk," Arik said pleasantly.

  Tedi scowled at the scores of rats scurrying around the buildings near the dock. A shiver ran up his spine as he recalled the dark cell in Cleb.

  The officer examined the papers and grunted. He stuck out his hand towards Tedi and waited impatiently for more papers. Tedi gave his papers to the officer, and Wylan hurriedly retrieved his own papers and handed them to the officer. The officer examined the papers closely and grunted disapprovingly several times. He handed the papers back to the boys and then stared at Arik.

  "Why do you carry two swords?" asked the officer.

  "What?" stalled Arik.

  "You have two swords," scowled the officer. "It is not permitted to bring gifts of weaponry into the country. Giving the sword to anyone will mean imprisonment, regardless of your papers. You are best to leave one sword with me."

  "The sword on my back is ceremonial," offered Arik. "It is a family heirloom, and I would never think of parting with it. It is my good luck charm."

  "You have been warned," scowled the officer as he glared at the foreigners. "Leave the city quickly. Go."

  Arik did not waste any time. He immediately led his group past the soldiers and off of the docks. As they entered into the streets of Ongchi, Arik marveled at the sights of the foreign city. Masses of people swarmed through the streets in every direction. Few horses were visible, and dozens of people-drawn carts carried cargo and people around the city. Soldiers were highly visible in the city and were always stationed outside official-looking buildings. The merchant shops had small tables in front of the stores displaying their goods. Some merchants approached the three boys with samples of their wares as they passed.

  One disturbing thing that Arik noticed as they walked through the streets of Ongchi was that everyone noticed them as they passed. It would be impossible for the Sordoans to blend in. Arik noticed a vendor selling the wide conical straw hats that many people wore, and he stopped and purchased three of them. He handed a hat to Tedi and one to Wylan and then he put his own on his head. The hat sat comfortably, and Arik smiled as he felt the relief the wide brim brought from the heat. Ongchi was a hot city, and Arik began to wonder how much warmer it would get after the Darkness had been obliterated.

  People still looked at them as they passed, but he did not feel as much like a foreigner after donning the straw hat. Several groups of soldiers stopped and stared at them as they walked eastward through the city. Eventually, a group of soldiers confronted them, and they were required to produce their papers again. Once again the Sword of Heavens caused questions to be asked, but the soldiers were satisfied with the explanation given. Fearing an encounter with a group of soldiers that might not be so easily satisfied, Arik gave the orders to mount, and the boys rode through the city streets.

  As they rode away from the city center, Arik noticed that the buildings lost their bright colors, and things appeared rather drab and less maintained. Beggars lined the streets, and the people seemed to be underfed. Arik saw soldiers scattering the beggars and shook his head.

  Eventually, Arik glimpsed a huge stone wall rising above the small buildings. The wall was not only huge because of its height, but its width was wide enough for a wagon to ride along its top. The wall stretched as far as Arik could see in either direction. There were two sets of gates in the wall. The inner set of gates was open, and Arik rode past the soldiers stationed there and into the darkness between the two sets of gates. There they were stopped and asked for their papers again.

  Arik gazed up at the underside of the massive wall as the soldiers examined his papers. He had never seen a wall so huge. Four staircases rose to the upper level from between the two sets of gates, and there were rooms built into the wall. Arik saw one room with dozens of soldiers lounging in it. He began to get the eerie feeling that the wall was meant to be defended from attackers on the city side of the wall, as well as those on the outside.

  The soldier had to tap Arik's leg to get his attention when the papers were handed back. Arik nodded to the soldier and rode forward as the outer gates opened to allow them to exit the city. A long, flat road stretched out before them as it wound its way along the coastline. The ocean side of the r
oad was lined with large, diked fields that were flooded with water, and trees were sparse. The inland side of the road rose gradually towards the distant hills. The rising land was terraced, and farmers were scattered about tilling the land.

  There were few travelers on the road, and Arik picked up the pace to put the city of Ongchi behind them. Throughout the day, the countryside they passed was agrarian with little land other than fields of crops. Shaded camping spots were sparse. As it became too dark to ride safely, Arik spied a stand of trees and left the road towards it. He found a small clearing amongst the trees and decided to set up camp.

  "I did not care for all the attention we got in Ongchi," Arik remarked as Wylan started a small fire.

  "I was wondering if you should hide the Sword of Heavens," prompted Tedi. "They have all too much interest in it."

  "There would be greater interest in it if they found it hidden," countered Arik. "I will give up my own sword before I let them have the Sword of Heavens."

  "Is Barouk going to be like Ongchi?" asked Wylan.

  "Neither one of us has ever been in Lanoir before," replied Tedi. "Barouk is a mystery to all of us."

  "I have never seen so many fields," remarked Arik. "What do you suppose they do with all that food?"

  "In Southland they said the people of Lanoir were starving," interjected Wylan.

  "They could be," mused Tedi. "We saw lots of fields, but we did not see a great deal of healthy crops. I think they are trying to cultivate so much because the crop yield is poor."

  "Maybe the clearing of the Darkness will help that," Arik said as he withdrew the Sword of Heavens and rotated with it.

  "What are you doing?" quizzed Tedi. "We are not searching for the Diamond of Edona down here."

  "I was trying to gauge how much further we were from Cleb," frowned Arik, "but the Sword of Heavens feels about the same as it did in Marchek. It should be so weak as to be almost undetectable."

  "Maybe after we get so far away from the gem the pull just remains the same," offered Tedi.

  "Perhaps," nodded Arik. "The diamond is a great distance from here."

  "You mean the Sword of Heavens tells you where the diamond is?" questioned Wylan.

  "Yes," nodded Arik as he slid the Sword of Heavens back into its sheath. "It tells us the direction and the distance. That is how we knew that the diamond was in Cleb. The closer we get, the stronger the pull of the Sword of Heavens."

  "That is exciting," responded Wylan. "Wish we had something like that for the statue of Abuud."

  "We will find the statue," promised Arik. "I think we should eat and then get some sleep. I would not mind getting an early start tomorrow. The sooner we get the statue and get back to Cleb the better I will feel about this trip."

  ***

  "Shouldn't we stop for the night?" asked Niki. "It has been dark for some time."

  "A little bit longer," Master Khatama answered. "I would like to pass through Dubar while it is dark, and the city is just ahead."

  "Why not stop in the city?" asked Niki. "Maybe a good night in an inn and I won't have that dream again. I hate waking up every night with my husband dying."

  "Your visions are troubling," frowned Boris, "but I do not think what you sleep on will have any effects on the visions."

  "Still would be nice to sleep in a bed," pouted Niki.

  "Life on the trail is better for you," responded Boris. "Besides, Dubar is not very friendly to foreigners. In fact, most places we are going are not going to be friendly. I also do not want people to notice us passing through. Most of the people of Dubar will already be inside, and that is why I plan to keep on going."

  "Why don't you want people to see us?" questioned Niki. "Doesn't a merchant like to be well known?"

  "It is you that I do not wish people to see," explained Master Khatama.

  "Me?" inquired Niki. "Why would people seeing me bother you?"

  "Do you think that Azmet has forgotten about the loss of his diamond?" Boris shook his head. "His men will be looking for you while they head south to the Island of Storms. Is your memory so short that you have forgotten that you smashed their statue and stole the diamond?"

  "Why are you always picking on me?" scowled Niki. "Your memory is not too good either. You cannot remember who Tanya's parents were, or how long she has been with you. You cannot remember where you even met her. You shouldn't be picking on me for my memory."

  "You are right," sighed Boris. "I do seem to be forgetting more things each day. I guess I am getting too old for this life. Some day I will forget that this is my wagon. Then where will I be?"

  "I will help you remember," smiled Niki. "You have already taught me so much about myself that I never knew. The least I can do is help you find your wagon. It is a good thing that you have your name on the side of it. As long as your remember your name, you will know your wagon when you see it."

  "Things are not that bad," laughed Master Khatama. "It is troublesome though that memories escape me. It is not the current things I forget, but rather the older memories. It is like things take a long time to be forgotten. Like I remember meeting you and Fredrik on your way north near Toresh. You were hungry and stopped for a bite to eat."

  "I remember that too," smiled Niki. "We were very hungry at the time. You were kind and generous with your food."

  "I remember admiring your cloak that day," Boris said. "Wherever did you get that cloak? You never did say."

  "Oh a friend gave it to me," answered Niki. "I always feel like a queen when I put it on. Do you think I will ever be a queen? I mean a real queen?"

  "Who was the friend that would give such a fine cloak away?" asked Boris.

  "Oh you would not know her," Niki said nervously. "You didn't answer my question about being a queen."

  "Are you not already a queen?" smiled Master Khatama.

  "You mean with the animals?" asked Niki. "That is not the same thing. I mean, they do seem to like me, but that is not being a queen."

  "Isn't it?" posed Boris as he eased the wagon through the deserted streets of Dubar. "Do you realize that if the animals accepted you as their queen, that you would have more followers than any ruler in the world?"

  "Really?" grinned Niki. "I guess I never thought about it that way. They would not be real followers though," she pouted. "A real queen has people waiting on her all of the time. Animals can't do much of anything."

  Boris rounded a bend in the road, and the city of Dubar disappeared behind a stand of palm trees. He pulled the wagon off the trail.

  "Animals can do much more than you could imagine," Boris said seriously. "Time will show you what I mean. For now, let us get some food and sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day."

  ***

  Arik, Tedi, and Wylan continued their journey from Ongchi to Barouk. They passed several small villages, but avoided them. There was little traffic on the road until they reached the outskirts of Barouk.

  "That looks like a sizeable city ahead," commented Wylan. "Do you think it is Barouk?"

  "Must be," responded Tedi. "It has a lot of ships in the harbor. Do you think anyone offers rides to the Island of Storms?"

  "I have been pondering that for the last few days," stated Arik. "I think we should have asked the captain who brought us to Ongchi. He was the last person we met that I trusted. I do not even know how these people will react to our mentioning the Island of Storms. We haven't actually met anyone who is friendly since we entered Lanoir."

  "Well just be cautious then," offered Wylan. "Do either of you know how to sail?"

  "We both do," answered Tedi. "Our fathers were fishermen, and we went with them many times. Often we would pilot the boats while they tended the nets."

  "Well that is a plus," grinned Wylan. "I was afraid you were going to ask me to steer. The barge we stole in Cleb is the closest I have come to being on a boat before we got to Dalek."

  "Piloting the boat will be the easy part," frowned Arik. "Getting a boat will be much harder."
>
  "How should we approach this?" asked Tedi.

  "We have a fair amount of gold," answered Arik, "but not enough to buy a boat. We will have to try to offer our gold for the use of a boat I guess."

  "That might work well enough in Lorgo," frowned Tedi, "but we are strangers here. I cannot imagine anyone letting us take a boat and expecting us to return it. We will have to find someone who is willing to take us to the island and wait for us."

  "I think you are right," nodded Arik as they approached the gates of Barouk.

  The soldiers at the gates stopped them, and the boys had their papers ready. Arik saw the soldiers eyeing up the Sword of Heavens, and he growled under his breath. The soldiers looked surprised and waved the boys through the gate.

  "Did you do that on purpose?" asked Wylan. "The growling I mean."

  "I did not mean for it to be verbal," replied Arik, "but it certainly seemed to stop their inquisitiveness. Perhaps we have been taking too soft a line with the soldiers. I really do not know how important these papers make us here."

  "The first soldiers said only Imperial papers would allow us to enter the country," interjected Tedi. "Maybe that makes us like friends of the Emperor."

  "I do not think I would push it that far," chuckled Arik, "but the soldiers did appear to back off when I showed displeasure, but maybe that only works away from the capital city. We should still be cautious."

  Barouk was a large city, but it was also similar to a fishing village. The streets away from the water's edge looked very much like Ongchi, but smaller and poorer. More of the city was drab colored and only a few buildings sported vivid colors. The soldiers were less numerous and appeared to be less disciplined. As soon as the boys neared the water, the whole flavor of the city changed. While there were numerous docks along the waterfront, many boats were just pulled up on the sand.

  They passed many markets and all of them appeared to be fish markets. The markets were large and open, and throngs of people milled about. Again they saw carts drawn by people, but they were not fancy as they had been in Ongchi. Most of the carts in Barouk were carrying fish. The whole waterfront smelled strongly of the sea, but some of it was quite foul. Arik and Tedi had grown up on the edge of the sea, but fish in Lorgo never lasted long enough to smell bad. Some of the merchant stands had fish that must have been several days old, and Arik held his breath as he passed by.