Blood & Besiegement

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Yet clever ways,

  By the water's power,

  Keep all the varied gifts,

  Enchanting those of every taste.

  Castles rise,

  Up from the land,

  Their Kings and nobles searching far and wide,

  For greater power,

  Within the one,

  Who drinks the purest water,

  And has the blessing of the tide.

  The music was powerful beyond what Nerine had even imagined. She knew that she could provide the sounds of finely-tuned instruments with only her voice, and this was because of the magic of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean which she drank. Her innate potential was high, though far from the highest in the world. In fact, everyone in the room was very surprised at what happened, especially Nerine.

  As the verses were sung, Countess Genevieve became younger in appearance. She was truly fifty-eight (58) years old but looked fifty-three (53) because of the highly purified waters of the Trerada Ocean that she drank. However, her skin became unwrinkled and tight and the years peeled off of her face, so that she appeared to be a mere thirty-three (33) years of age, two (2) decades younger than she was before the song was performed.

  “What a stunning beauty she has become! What has happened? Indeed, there is magic here in your beautiful voice,” Count Perceval said out loud. He knew the oceans had a powerful effect – in his own life, he used the waters of the Gradaken Ocean to tame creatures of the sea and send them to attack – so ocean water magic was not outside his experience. However, he never knew that a song could accomplish such things as restoring youth that was already lost. He started to feel desire toward his wife again, although the young Nerine was still more attractive, and his eyes turned to her.

  Countess Genevieve looked over and saw where the Count’s eyes went, and realized that her husband – who was the source of her wealth that financed her research – was at risk here. It wasn’t Nerine’s fault, but she couldn’t have the lecherous old beast of a man straying off and dividing his fortune among many wives and concubines.

  Nerine, herself, was stunned at the transformation, and said only: “My lady, you do look very lovely, this evening.” She didn’t want to imply that Countess Genevieve looked otherwise earlier, as any perceived insult could be an obstacle to payment now, or in the future. She also did not know about the experiments in Trerada water purification that Genevieve had been performing and that they accounted for a significant portion of the transformation’s effectiveness.

  “My lady, you are the very picture of exquisite beauty. You are music to the eyes,” Renato said to Countess Genevieve.

  A large mirror in the stateroom allowed Genevieve to see this for herself. The song worked and was at least as effective as she had hoped.

  Many of the castle staff present in the stateroom during the musical performance were attractive young women, who were already carnally involved with Count Perceval on their appointed evenings. They became fearful and jealous after seeing Countess Genevieve regain her youthful attractiveness, and hoped that the song’s effect would not last for long.

  Countess Genevieve stood up from her throne, walked over to Nerine and took her hand. “My dear Nerine, please come with me,” Genevieve said. Genevieve also took Renato by the arm and brought him along.

  ~~~

  They walked toward a small, private room off to the side and Genevieve handed Nerine thirty (30) platinum coins, saying: “I hope that this will provide for your needs, and that you will be willing to return to me at a later time when I send for you. Your voice is most excellent, and shall be put to fine and varied use.”

  “Why thank you ever so much for your generosity, my lady,” Nerine said. The payment was far in excess of her expectations, and she looked forward to returning, if this was any indication of what payment was to come.

  “Renato, please escort Nerine to her village, and come back at once,” Countess Genevieve said.

  “As you wish, my lady,” Renato said, and he took Nerine to the main entrance to the castle.

  ~~~

  Renato then said to Nerine: “Tell me where it is that you live, and I will take you, personally.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Renato. I don’t really have a home. I’ll just stay with friends. I usually sing at weddings and banquets, and the hosts of the parties almost always give me a room and meals,” Nerine said.

  “There are dangerous bandits that travel these lands. I can protect you and take you to the home of a nearby friend. Are you sure?” Renato asked.

  “You’re so sweet, but I’ll be alright,” Nerine said and left on her own, with her coins in a small pouch that she secreted away in a fold in her clothing.

  ~~~

  Renato returned to the castle and met with Countess Genevieve, and said to her: “My lady, the young singer insisted on traveling alone to visit friends, and declined my company. I didn’t wish to upset her, but I warned her of the bandits.”

  “She’s capable – she survived this long, so she’ll be fine. We must speak in private. Please follow me,” Genevieve said to him.

  Renato followed Genevieve down the steps into her laboratory.

  When they were alone, she said to him: “I need you to get something for me, Renato.”

  “What is it, my lady?” Renato asked.

  “I need you to bring me the tiara – the one that the Ahitan woman has. I intend to study it to better understand the oceans,” Genevieve said.

  “Much of the world is searching for that tiara – my search will not be completed quickly, my lady, and there will be difficulties. Even if I find it first, there are those who would use violence to get it back, and that could bring a war into this very territory,” Renato said.

  “I have confidence in you. Do what you can, but I must have that tiara. I know that it will take time, and I will wait for you,” Genevieve said.

  Genevieve then handed Renato a bag and said: “In this bag are five hundred (500) platinum coins and twenty-one (21) diamonds. These may help you in your travels, to wherever they may lead you.”

  “Thank you, my lady. I will leave at once to find that which you seek,” Renato said, and he made his way to his private room, taking his sharpest daggers and drinking anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from one of the many vials he kept stored there. He took several more of those vials of those same waters and left the castle to begin his quest.

  ~~~

  Countess Genevieve felt strong inside, and better than she had in some time. The improvements in her appearance were only the outward manifestation of what had happened. Internally, her aches and sores of old age had all but disappeared, and she felt genuinely youthful again. She was ready to study, all night long. Her dirty old man of a husband – Count Perceval – would hopefully fall asleep, alone, as dirty old men deserve to do. More likely, he would put one of his female servants to work. Either way, she expected to be ignored – she needed to be ignored. Her studies of the ocean waters were the higher calling.

  CHAPTER 20: Warrior and Jaguar

  In the continent of Ihalik, in the imperial palace that was now under the control of Lavakara, General Serafina was tired of the discussions and in search of combat, to satisfy her deep craving for extreme violence.

  “I wish to see the power of this Jaguar, as well,” Serafina said to Lavakara.

  “Very well, General. You will come to observe our encounter, and enjoy the violence vicariously,” Lavakara said.

  “I am ready to battle,” Serafina said.

  “You should be ready to learn, for there is much about combat you do not know,” Lavakara said. He thought little of the combat abilities of women, despite his concern about the power of the all-female Ahitan Empire and the threat they posed. He considered their threat to be more from a magical enhancement by the dreaded tiara, in addition to demonic assistance, than any actual skill on their part.

  “Then, I will watch, if that is what you order,” Serafina said.


  “Under the Oath, I wish to travel with you to observe the proceedings,” Judith said.

  “So be it, Chronicler. This will be most informative. I sincerely hope to be met with utter defeat, which will be my truest victory…if you can comprehend that,” Lavakara said. He also thought very little of the intelligence or other skills of women – despite Romana’s surprising use of the hawks to disarm him of the ruby dagger on Udovedaj-Pren Island.

  Judith did understand, however, that he was referring to the purported ability to spiritually overtake another person’s mortal body. This would be interesting to observe, at the same time that it was diabolical.

  “We set sail at once. The three (3) of us, and a standard crew, on one (1) ship,” Lavakara said.

  They left the palace and boarded one of the warships, then converted it immediately to an airship. After this, they traveled west over the continent of Ihalik and then returned to sea level, converting back to the sailing ship configuration, on the eastern edge of the Gradaken Ocean. From there, they sailed northwest to the eastern edge of the continent of Volaraden.

  Lavakara and Serafina, followed by Judith, disembarked.

  Judith drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from the vial she carried and was energized, thus becoming prepared to slow down time so as to observe fast moving events and record them.

  Serafina drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from the vial that she carried and was energized and thus prepared to fight fiercely, if the need should arise, despite Lavakara’s instruction to her to only observe.

  Lavakara drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from the ornate vial that he carried and was energized to fight fiercely. He was energized, as well, to use the spirit powers. It was as if he had drunk the waters of the Zovvin Ocean, but he had not. It was the ornate vial that conferred the secondary ability.

  They entered the jungles of Volaraden and proceeded to look for the Jaguar.

  Lavakara peered into the spirit world and, from there, he could see farther. The trees – which were alive and quite real – had a presence in the spirit world, unlike the illusory trees from before which had no such presence. Still, the relative shapes, sizes, curves and distances in the spirit world weren’t the same, and he could see farther. This was not the same long-range distance power, or seeing-around-corners power that some of the drinkers of the Lujladia Ocean waters had; but it was an improvement over normal vision by several times.

  “In a jungle, it is best to move as swiftly and stealthily as a tiger. To notice – before being noticed,” Lavakara said.

  “Yes, this is how I was trained,” Serafina said.

  “The Jaguar knows better than the tiger, if he is worthy of his name. He may find us first,” Lavakara said.

  “I am prepared to fight,” Serafina said.

  “I doubt that very much. Today may be your day to die,” Lavakara said.

  Serafina was frightened by this statement. She knew that Lavakara was clever, so for him to say this meant that he knew something dangerous. Violence pleased her – when she was inflicting it. Death was something that was a long way off for the very healthy and physically fit twenty-nine (29) year old general – not as far off as it would be for a drinker of the waters of the Trerada Ocean, given their almost perfect resistance to disease – but she ate well and exercised vigorously.

  “Are you saying that there is some secret that I have yet to learn, Supreme Commander?” Serafina asked.

  “Yes. The secret of the exact moment of your death. You are not prepared to face this Jaguar,” Lavakara said. He delighted in tormenting her – a male warrior would never tolerate this and would actually become belligerent and either strike at Lavakara for the insult or ready himself against the threat ahead, but she was showing recognizable signs of fear.

  Judith was noting all of this exchange and recording it into her book, as well as the precise directions they were traveling, so that she could reverse them, alone, if needed.

  They heard noises of movement in the jungle which were different from the usual background noises they had heard when they first entered.

  “Good. He sees us,” Lavakara said. He could see a jungle warrior moving around in the material world. There was a strange aura about that jungle warrior that Lavakara could see when he peered into the spirit world and looked at him through the different perspective it offered. Lavakara wondered if this would be a more substantial struggle than before, and take place in both the material and spiritual realms. That would be challenging – and exciting. He drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from his ornate vial, energizing himself again, in both physical and spiritual powers.

  “Where?” Serafina asked, betraying fear, yet poised for combat.

  “He is everywhere…until he strikes somewhere,” Lavakara said.

  A man wearing an animal skin, and having long animal claws tied to his hands, leapt from the jungle vegetation. One of the claws struck Serafina on the right shoulder, causing profuse bleeding. She drew back and screamed, holding the shoulder with her left hand to stop the bleeding and delay the death of which Lavakara had forewarned her.

  The man wearing the animal skin and the animal claws looked at the other outsiders – another woman and a man dressed as an assassin – and made his decision.

  The other woman had an aura about her – and it meant that she was protected – so that the man wearing the animal skin and the animal claws did not dare make an attempt to attack her.

  The woman with the aura was Judith, who was already protected by a Guardian Angel because she kept the Chronicler’s Oath. However, this aura was more than the usual protection in that it frightened away a would-be attacker. The aura was due to her having come to believe in the One True God. Had the man wearing the animal skin and the animal claws attempted an attack, he would have failed because of the protection she had, but he knew not to attack at all.

  The man dressed as an assassin appeared to be a formidable foe, so the man wearing the animal skin and the animal claws leapt toward him…and missed.

  He missed because the man dressed as an assassin – Lavakara – instantly disappeared into the spirit world. From there, Lavakara laughed, and all of them – the man wearing the animal skin and the animal claws, Serafina and Judith – could hear it.

  Lavakara suddenly appeared behind the man wearing the animal skin and the animal claws and punched his throat, knocking him to his knees gasping for breath.

  Judith was ready for the suddenness – because of the slowness of time she brought about by the powers of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean that she drank – and saw Lavakara’s attack in detail, and recorded it in her book. She saw that Lavakara did not merely move quickly from one place to another – he actually disappeared from one location and appeared at another, without visibly moving through the spaces in between.

  “Please. Tell me where the warrior known as the Jaguar is to be found,” Lavakara said with a smile. He knew who this was, but pretended otherwise.

  Two hundred fifty (250) warriors, all wearing animal skins, suddenly appeared from the jungle. They held spears but did not move.

  “Can any of you tell me where to find the warrior known as the Jaguar?” Lavakara asked. He delighted inside.

  The warriors remained silent.

  “Is he a mere myth? I wish to know. His reputation as a great warrior precedes him,” Lavakara said, mockingly.

  “I am Jaguar,” the man wearing the animal skins and animal claws said, after catching his breath and rising to his feet.

  “Oh, it’s you! How terribly sorry to meet you on such terms as these. I was expecting a fierce opponent. It seems that legends and rumors can’t always be trusted, can they?” Lavakara said, clearly mocking this man for all to see.

  Judith noted this and found it distasteful. Even if Lavakara had been a force for good in the world, his manners were most degenerate.

  “I am mighty among my people. Yet, you are far more so.
You must be one of the blessed ones of Havatissa!” Jaguar said.

  “Nonsense. I am Lavakara. I neither have, nor need, a blessing from anyone. I was searching for strength, and found only weakness. I actually pity you. You, and your entire tribe, will be utterly destroyed, and very soon,” Lavakara said.

  “May Havatissa bless us! May Lavakara have mercy on us!” Jaguar said.

  The two hundred fifty (250) warriors started bowing and saying, repeatedly: “Havatissa bless us! Lavakara have mercy on us!”

  “Mercy from me? Absolutely. There can be no question about it. Nothing less than mercy will do, of course. You see, I am not the one who is going to mercilessly slaughter you,” Lavakara said.

  “Who will come to kill us?” Jaguar asked.

  “A woman,” Lavakara said, hoping to frighten them, and possibly humiliate them at the possibility of defeat by a more powerful female.

  Judith was noting all of this in her book, including Lavakara’s horrific mockery of these people and Serafina’s attempts to stop her bleeding. She remembered how Serafina set fire to that man in Octavian’s castle and those people in the village. While the Chronicler’s Oath forbade judgment of others, it also forbade interference, so she could not help Serafina had she wanted to. As a person, Judith wanted to help her, at least a little, and give her a chance to repent. God had mercy on Judith, and Romana convinced her to believe in God. Hence, she wanted to show mercy. But the Oath, to which Judith swore, was also of God, and she could not violate its tenets without repercussion.

  “Who is this woman?” Jaguar asked.

  “Her name is Victoria,” Lavakara said.

  “How will she defeat us? How large is her army?” Jaguar asked.

  “It’s just her. Just one (1) woman,” Lavakara said.

  “How can this be? One (1) mighty woman may even defeat ten (10) men, if she is trained and has surprise. Yet, we are many more than ten (10),” Jaguar asked.

  “One (1) woman may defeat ten billion (10000000000) men if she has a powerful weapon,” Lavakara said.

  “What is this powerful weapon?” Jaguar asked.