Contest (The Stork Tower Book 6)

by Tony Corden

  “How expensive is it?”

  “When you apply, they send the invoice. Until then, there is no information available. Gossip puts the initial membership between fifty and one-hundred thousand VCr followed by an annual fee of anywhere from ten to thirty thousand VCr. In addition, meals and resources used often incur an additional fee.”

  “That’s insane, how do I justify the expense?”

  “Who do you have to justify it to?”

  “To myself. I have to answer to myself even if to no one else.”

  “Then tell yourself that even at the most expensive value, it is only thirteen VCr per slave who might be freed by Linc Gerard. I’m not sure you can put a price on freedom, but thirteen VCr seems more than reasonable.”

  “Thank you for putting that in perspective, Gèng. Please apply for membership on my behalf and let Major White know I will be there.”

  “I’m beginning the process immediately. You have messages from Peter, Thad, Dr Ellis, Dr Whitfield, Amy, Wisp, Red, and Tungsten which require responses and several hundred others that you should read as they contain various reports concerning the Pod facilities and other business ventures.”

  Leah walked down to the gazebo and spent twenty minutes applying her multi-tasking and increased perception to work her way through the hundreds of reports and messages. Peter was interested in Leah’s spells and potions. Thad gave an update of where they were in Pneumatica and wanted a time to catch up. Drs Ellis and Whitfield had questions about Leah’s insights the night before and several additional thoughts of their own. Amy and Wisp wanted to offer their congratulations on the Merkize contest and discussed getting together to get caught up on all the news. Red and Tungsten were almost at the system Leah had directed them to and asked for some ideas about what they might find so they could be better prepared. The reports from Leon, Stephen, Susan and others all needed to be responded to, and she made a variety of suggestions on how to move forward.

  When all the business was taken care of, Leah waded into the pile of messages, requests and offers that had come with the publicity of the contest in Dunyanin. After dealing with several hundred, she closed the file and sat for a minute, thinking through the rest of her day.

  Gèng sat down and said, “You look concerned about something. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “It’s about Linc Gerard. I spent a few minutes looking through the Castelli documents and I realised that he isn’t really a problem for them.”

  “He’s on their payroll?”

  “No. I’m pretty sure he’s doing everything he can to stop them and their enterprise. His boss in the Marshalls and his best friend, however, are on the Castellis’ payroll. They are the reason he hasn’t got anywhere all these years.”

  “Do you want me to cancel the meeting?”

  “No, and that’s what’s troubling me. I’m tempted to go ahead and give him the information. He’ll most likely approach V-Sec rather than his boss and that will ensure the people get saved. What worries me is what the Castellis will do to him when they know he released the names. They’ll try and force him to find out who I am.”

  “Why don’t you explain things and let him decide?”

  “I don’t want to get him in any danger.”

  “Can you think of another way to get the names to V-Sec without implicating yourself?”

  “Not yet. I’ll keep the appointment and make up my mind about what to do when I meet him. Thank you for letting me talk it out.”

  Gèng nodded, and Leah headed for the Dunyanin Portal.

  63

  Chapter 63

  December 18, 2073 - Early Morning - Part 3

  As she walked, Leah slowed the pace at which she was processing material until she was no longer multi-tasking and processing at the usual virtual speed. Reaching the portal, Leah stepped through once more into the clearing the Fae had directed her to.

  DUNYANIN

  She was surprised to see Kurtlarin standing motionless in the middle of the clearing. Sitting beside him were three glitchwolves. Each was larger than she’d seen before and looked almost as large as the size she was when transformed into Safha Peslik. As she appeared, the glitchwolves all came to their feet and turned to face her. One was a Life Glitchwolf, one a Psychic Glitchwolf and the other was a Time Glitchwolf. The Venator opened his eyes and said, “Welcome Atherleah, I hoped you would appear today. I…”

  He stopped mid-word and stared at Leah. The shrouds had automatically formed behind her as wings. The upper feathers were black shadow, the colour tapering to white light at the lower tips.

  Kurtlarin’s gaze moved from the wings to Leah’s face and whatever he saw there made him take half a step backwards before he lowered his gaze and brought his hands forward, just as he had previously. After showing Leah his palms, he brought them to his chest with one on either side before bringing them together and intertwining the fingers tightly. He said, “Tamamlayınız, I Kurtlarin Ihalesi, son of Ihalesi Alzae, Prime Venator of the Yeşiltopraklar wilds come with empty hands, I come without malice, and I will offer you no violence. Will you talk with me?”

  Leah assumed a similar pose and replied “Kurtlarin Ihalesi, son of Ihalesi Alzae, I come with empty hands, I come without malice, and I will offer you no violence. I am still Atherleah, and I am glad you have returned.”

  Kurtlarin slowly unwound his fingers and said, “Maybe. Maybe you are still Atherleah, but long have the Fae looked for one who could be named Tamamlayınız. In gold, your brow declares your identity and the mark of Lord Umut shines upon your shoulder.”

  Leah acknowledged the remark but wasn’t sure what else to say, so she said nothing. Kurtlarin said, “I was about to suggest we should be moving. The King has agreed to an agreement. If you promise to undertake a task for the Fae, then I will provide a guide that you might know the way through the Günahkâr lands to Vatan’s Eastern entrance to Lord Geckiş’s realm. The King would not agree that I accompany you.”

  “What is the task?”

  The Venator became still, his features seemed to harden, and his face grew grave. He hardly seemed to breathe, but Leah could clearly hear his words. “Many years ago the Travellers arrived on Vatan. At that time, the Fae were more open in their interactions with the mundane races. It came to pass that a mighty elven mage found her way into the Fae Realm. Through the completion of several quests, the Fae made her welcome. She seemed to us to be both gracious and honourable. For several changes of the moon she dwelt among us, she learned our ways, our magic, and our language. She eventually gained status in the Fae Court, and upon giving an oath of friendship, she was welcomed even to the table of the King. She loved knowledge, and she sought to master the skills of the Fae.

  “Then there came a day when we woke to find her gone. This was not unusual as, at times, she would disappear for several days, as is the want of travellers. When she did not return, the King asked the greatest of our mages, Mage Keşfetmek, to search the histories before they became inscrutable that she might uncover what happened. As Mage Keşfetmek walked back through time, she found that we were betrayed, for the Oathbreaker was not our friend. On the night she disappeared she arose from her chamber and entered the sealed chamber of the Betrayer. The Oathbreaker took the Betrayer’s spell book and the quiescent chrysalis from the union of the Betrayer and King Alzae Alhaqinya.

  “Through the decades the Fae continue to hunt the Oathbreaker. Twice we have killed her, hoping that the one who will be queen might be returned, only to discover that the chrysalis is not only bound to the Oathbreaker in some way, but it is continually being drained of mana to fuel her spells. We would have you steal the child and return her to the Fae. The King offers this agreement hoping that one who can steal from a god, might be able to steal from an elven mage.”

  It had been a while since Gèng had let a message suddenly appear, so Leah paused briefly to read the one Gèng let through the filters.

  Unique Personal Offer

  On
behalf of King Alzae Alhaqinya, the Prime Venator Kurtlarin Ihalesi has made you an offer. In return for providing a guide that you might know the way through the Günahkâr lands to the Eastern entrance to Lord Geckiş’s realm, you will promise to steal or otherwise procure the stolen chrysalis of King Alzae Alhaqinya’s heir.

  Difficulty: Impossible

  Time Constraint: Diligence expected

  Reward if successful: Unknown

  Consequences of failure: Eternal Enmity with the Fae.

  Do you wish to accept this quest?

  [Yes] [No]

  Leah wondered exactly when Merideath had become the Oathbreaker. It wouldn’t have surprised her to learn it was when the real Meredith was somehow exchanged with whoever was using her identity. Regardless of when it happened, it explained the elemental familiar. She said, “Kurtlarin, I cannot promise I will succeed, but I will accept the responsibility to do all I can to redeem the heir.”

  Kurtlarin thought about Leah’s condition, and a message with the changes was sent to Leah. He brought his hands forward just as he had previously. This time his right hand held a knife. After showing Leah his left palm, he brought the knife down quickly and cut a two-inch wound. He held it forward with his palm toward Leah, the blood dripping from the now horizontal slash. He said, “Tamamlayınız, on behalf of King Alzae Alhaqinya, I Kurtlarin Ihalesi promise to provide guidance that you might know the way through the Günahkâr lands to Vatan’s Eastern entrance to Lord Geckiş’s realm.”

  As he spoke, Leah could see mana the colour of silver form along the wound and wrap around his hand. She extended her hands as he had and equipping her knife made a similar cut. She extended her hand and brought it close to his, but not touching. She said, “Kurtlarin Ihalesi, envoy of King Alzae Alhaqinya, I promise to do all in my power to steal, or otherwise procure, the stolen chrysalis of King Alzae Alhaqinya’s heir.”

  Leah watched as silver mana flowed from her wound and surrounded her hand. The mana from both sides reached out, and Leah felt her hand pulled toward Kurtlarin’s. As they touched, she felt her hand grow warm and then there was a blast of pain which exploded down her arm and through her body. It almost made her lose contact with the Venator who was also almost driven backwards. The pain slowly dissipated and Kurtlarin removed his hand from hers. He looked down at the now healed wound which had formed a thin scar on his palm.

  Leah looked on hers and saw the same scar. Kurtlarin said, “Atherleah, please accept my apologies. The oath between two Fae is a sacred thing, an agreement designed to be felt to the core of one’s soul. Very few make such an agreement as the test of pain can destroy their resolve and force them apart. When such occurs, the Fae are outcast for their faithlessness. When the Oathbreaker was brought into fellowship with the Fae, we discovered that the mundane races felt none of the testing. We imagined she was tested in a way unknown to us only to learn that the promise of a mundane is often made with the same ease with which it is broken. Your blood is partly that of the Fae due to changes made by the Cursed One. I should have known, and I should have warned you to expect it.”

  “It is fine, Kurtlarin. The pain was fleeting.”

  “Thank you for understanding, and for the evidence of your faithfulness. The scar remains as a reminder until the task is completed. We must move soon, as your enemies approach. I do not know how, but they have begun to move in this direction. I fear the path to the Kukurt Depression is fully closed. The Günahkâr lands are now your only option.”

  Leah bowed her head, and sub vocally said, “Gèng, what is being shown on my feed in Spectator?”

  “They’re currently showing what happened yesterday.”

  Leah looked up at Kurtlarin and said, “The Oathbreaker can detect my whereabouts but always one day after I have passed. Yesterday I waited here for you. Tomorrow she will be able to observe what I do today.”

  “Are you able to observe her?”

  Leah subvocalised, “Where is Meredith on her feed?”

  “She’s on one of her ships sailing south looking for some hidden islands to the south of Taramore.”

  “How do you know where she is sailing to?”

  “I observe all the feeds from those in the Merkize Odyssey.”

  Leah said, “She is not with these followers. She is to the south of Taramore looking for some hidden islands.”

  Kurtlarin shook his head and said, “She still seeks power and glory, I suspect she looks for the lost city of Azamet, capital of the once great Kingdom of Hazine. It is a quest fraught with danger. I wish her no benefit from this journey.”

  “Nor I. What guidance would you give?”

  Kurtlarin moved his hand to the glitchwolves who had been sitting and watching during the interchange. He said, “Ruhani, Zaman, and Canlı will show the way. They will protect you as they can. Ruhani uses Psychic mana and can both communicate with you and sense danger at a distance. Zaman uses Time mana and can walk short distances into both the past and the future. He can guide you past ambushes and traps. Canli uses Life mana and offers protection through the forest itself as it is sometimes more alive in the Günahkâr lands. They know the way, but as a part of our agreement, I add this map of the Günahkâr Lands.”

  With that, he gave Leah a map and said, “I will keep watch on those who follow you and perhaps add some additional difficulties and dangers to their hunt. However, I expect that later today they will pass beyond the area in which the King has given me leave to act.”

  Leah looked at the three glitchwolves and said, “Well met, Ruhani, Zaman, and Canlı. I thank you for your assistance.”

  Leah felt a presence similar to when Mìng talked with her. “We give it freely to the Fae. The Venator says you killed our kin?”

  “They attacked me.”

  “It is our way. We hold no anger. I wish to know your skills that I might lead you quickly.”

  “I can change my form and run as you do.”

  “Do so.”

  “The form might offend the Venator for it is of the one he calls ‘Kin Killer’.”

  All three glitchwolves came to their feet and stepped toward Leah. It wasn’t menacing so much as giving her their full attention. Leah stood staring at them for a moment when Kurtlarin said, “Ruhani has asked that I leave you and them to learn of each other without the complication of my presence. I take my leave of you, Atherleah. I wish you a safe journey and success in your tasks.”

  Leah opened her mouth to say goodbye, but the Venator had already disappeared. Ruhani said, “Show us how you become like the one they name Kin Killer.”

  Leah used the Vambraces and took the form of the gravity glitchwolf Safha Peslik. The three glitch wolves lowered themselves toward the ground and tucked their tails under themselves, turned their heads, and offered Leah their throats. Each one slowed their glitching. Leah looked down at them and then brought her open mouth close to each of their throats and briefly let her teeth touch their necks. She said, “Rise. Ruhani, please ask Zaman to scout ahead.”

  A different voice than before said, “In that form, I, Zaman, can hear your speech. We are forbidden to mention she who they name Kin Killer. How should we call the one who takes the form of the Alpha of Alphas?”

  “I am called Atherleah. You may use my name.”

  “Atherleah, I will scout. Where does this hunt lead?”

  “Into the lands of the Günahkâr to the entrance into Lord Geckiş’ realm.”

  At that, Zaman lifted his head and howled into the air. His action was copied by both Ruhani and Canlı. Leah raised her muzzle and joined them. Then, with a bound Zaman disappeared to be followed shortly afterwards by Ruhani. A new voice said, “Atherleah, follow Ruhani, I will bring up the rear.”

  With that, Leah broke into a loping run and followed Ruhani into the forest. For the next four hours, Leah followed the wolves as they moved unerringly through the forest, bypassing anything that might attack them. The glitchwolves moved mostly in silence, only communicating when
Zaman or Ruhani felt danger in their path. At the end of this time Leah said, “When it is safe we need to find a place to stop. I am a traveller to these lands and must spend some time visiting my own land in my dreams.”

  Leah felt Zaman’s agreement, and they soon came to a stop beside a small outcrop of rocks. Ruhani said, “Rest here Atherleah. We will watch until you return.”

  Leah thanked them all and then lay down in the cleft between two rocks and logged out.

  64

  Chapter 64

  December 18 2073 - Early Morning - Part 4

  STORK TOWER

  Back in the Tower, Leah sat on the sofa and said, “Gèng, I stopped a little early because I had a thought about the Aether dimensions which I want to consider. If I get distracted, could you give me a warning in twenty minutes? I need a break before I go to Survival.”

  “I will. Also, Leon left a message. Both parties agreed to your conditions. Councillor Rodgers has called a special meeting of the Land Management Committee to see if he can push through the approval for rezoning. I have reviewed their published minutes and see no indication that there will be anything to stop the rezoning. Leon has begun the process of ordering the reclamation technology developed by the Dutch company RVH. He wants to know what mix of human vs AI-controlled drones you want. The AI-controlled drones are ten times more expensive than human-controlled but process three times the waste of the human-controlled equipment. The human controlled equipment has ongoing personnel costs and higher maintenance costs. He estimates that over the life of the project, the AI-controlled will come in at a quarter the overall cost of the human-controlled.”