by Jeremy Dwyer
~~~
“My ssservant hasss her, and ssshe hasss a sssecret. Ssshe will be here sssoon,” the voice of Havatissa said through the fourth ruby spire.
Polyxene touched a block of diamond on the floor of her fortress and molded it to form a dagger of diamond.
A hideously unattractive woman exited the spirit world and appeared in the material world, standing on the fortress floor in front of Polyxene. The woman was holding a lightkeeper crystal.
Polyxene grabbed the lightkeeper crystal from the woman’s hand and then struck her in the heart with the diamond dagger, killing her. She then touched another block of diamond and molded it to form an encasement around the woman’s corpse.
“Have I pleasssed you?” the voice of Havatissa asked through the fourth ruby spire.
Polyxene looked into the lightkeeper crystal and learned the secret of the kaiyoyad tree, and how to work with the yellow-green gems to achieve her goals.
“Perhaps you have. This knowledge is more than intriguing, but it has yet to be proven true,” Polyxene said.
~~~
Outside the castle of Lunete of Bazavador, the troops waited until the following morning. When Duke Lodovico did not emerge from the castle, the lieutenants among them decided that he was lost, because he had actually surrendered by entering the castle. The gambit was foolish, and so they returned to Waderav the way they came.
~~~
The spirit of Torhilda appeared in a place of darkness, confusion and pain.
“Where am I?” the spirit of Torhilda asked.
“You are in the Maelstrom of Vengeance,” a deep and terrifying voice said.
“Who are you?” the spirit of Torhilda asked.
“I am Gadamalto, the Master of Spirits in this domain,” the voice said.
“Why am I here? My life was suffering. I was wronged. Why am I here? What evil have I done?” the spirit of Torhilda asked.
“You knowingly served a wicked woman, without so much as refusing her commands or attempting to thwart her dark rituals in service to demons. You had the power to sense spiritual activity so you knew her ways, yet you did nothing and said nothing. Thus, you enabled her wickedness, and shared her guilt. For this, you will be tortured eternally, yet you will be unable to scream or beg for mercy. Your silence in life will be matched by your silence in condemnation,” Gadamalto said. He then proceeded to torment the spirit of Torhilda in hideous ways, without end. She wanted to scream with all her soul but had no voice whatsoever.
CHAPTER 6: Lady of Greed and Impatience
In the central region of Waderav was the County of Eurybia, a two thousand one hundred seventy-six (2176) square mile region. The southern border was one hundred ninety-seven (197) miles north of Cinder Valley and immediately north of the Duchy of Jovan.
At the center of the territory was the castle of Countess Eurybia, a formidable structure measuring five hundred twenty one (521) feet on each side and seventy-eight (78) feet in height. Located in the middle of the castle’s first floor, the throne room had a square base measuring sixty-two (62) feet on each side and twenty-seven (27) feet from floor to ceiling. The throne itself was made entirely of platinum, studded with diamonds.
The twenty-eight (28) year old Countess Eurybia sat upon her throne with thirty-nine (39) guards surrounding her in a circle. She drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from her vial and was energized with the powers of strength and speed. She stood up from her throne and took hold of two (2) glimmering crystal short swords that were sheathed on her belt. She drew the weapons and readied them. “I’m ready,” she said.
The circle of guards then each drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from their own vials and were likewise energized with the powers of strength and speed, ready for battle. Now, this battle would prove their mettle as the guards for this fierce woman. Some threw daggers while others advanced, brandishing broadswords.
Eurybia was swift and coordinated. She dodged most blows, parrying the rest. The pair of crystal short swords was more than a match for the weight of the broadswords and the quick, fine points of the daggers. Every attack failed and all thirty-nine (39) guards were soon disarmed as she moved among them. They were fast, yet she was faster. They were strong and, while she was not quite as strong, her weapons proved far superior.
“We have failed you, my lady,” one of the guards said.
“Yes. You failed. All of you. Do you know why?” Countess Eurybia asked.
“Your swords are superior, my lady,” another of the guards said.
“True. But that’s not all. You are too predictable. Your movements are not in the least bit surprising to me. I don’t have so much as a scratch. You are not ready to be my guards. You are not ready to serve in my military. But one of you is most definitely an attractive young man. The rest of you are to stay here, standing and facing my throne. This one is mine,” Countess Eurybia said, gesturing to a particular guard. She led him into an adjoining room, then closed and locked the door behind her.
~~~
Within the adjoining room was a large bed. Countess Eurybia commanded the young man: “Pleasure me.” The young man removed his weapons, armor and undergarments, placing them all on the floor. Eurybia suddenly dropped her own weapons, took hold of the young man and pushed him onto the bed. She quickly undressed herself and had her way with the former guard, indulging in carnal pleasures. When she was done, she stood up from the bed and dressed herself.
“That is all you are good for. Yet, you are quite good at meeting my personal needs. You are to be my slave, for this purpose only, so long as you satisfy me. Stay here and maintain readiness, until I desire you later,” Countess Eurybia said. She took the young man’s armor and weapon from the floor and exited the room, locking the door behind her to keep her new, intimate slave available.
~~~
Countess Eurybia returned to her throne and sat down to signify her authority. She said to the thirty-eight (38) remaining guards: “Most of you failed to even arouse my personal interest in you. Remove your armor. Leave my castle. Return to the villages from whence you came. Tell them to send better. I will not weaken my military forces by allowing you to join their ranks.”
The thirty-eight (38) remaining former guards then removed their armor and exited the castle, heading out into the surrounding villages.
Countess Eurybia then said: “Colonel Nekoda, summon Captain Gennadios.”
~~~
From under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda heard her and said: “Yes, my lady.” The thirty-four (34) year old colonel drank anew of the water of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial to be further energized with the powers of darkness. He then moved across the castle throne room, then through its corridors and into the armory.
~~~
The castle armory was a square room measuring seventy-one (71) feet on each side, with ladders extending up to the sixty-five (65) foot high ceiling. The ladders gave access to the ten (10) ledges where racks of thousands of weapons were mounted. In the center of the room were fourteen (14) rows of fourteen (14) square tables, each four (4) feet wide, three (3) feet high and made of oak. The tables were covered in diamonds, rubies, vials of water and plates of steel.
Captain Gennadios drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial and was energized with the power to manipulate crystal and stone. He took hold of another vial filled with Kazofen waters and poured them into a vial that was empty, except for a limestone. When he did this, he watched the low-level crystal activity that indicated impurities were being removed from the Kazofen waters and attaching to the limestone. When the limestone was saturated, he poured the surrounding purified Kazofen waters back into the first vial and drank from it, becoming further energized. The higher purity waters would enable him to improve the process. He performed this procedure five (5) more times, until he was satisfied that his abilities were at the proper level. The virtuous cycle did not have a clear upper limit, but he had limited time.<
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He then molded several diamonds into sharp blades, fusing them with ruby after first creating spiral formations in the red crystal. The resultant short swords were durable and sharp, capable of penetrating various armors. He was twenty-four (24) years old and immensely gifted and well-trained in the manipulation of both stones and crystals. The virtuous cycle enabled him to produce remarkably effective weapons, and he saved the best for the person he loved the most.
~~~
From under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda said: “Countess Eurybia demands your presence immediately.” He then left and returned to the throne room, still under the cover of darkness.
~~~
Captain Gennadios left the armory and entered the throne room. He stood before the throne, knelt and kissed the hand of Countess Eurybia. “My ever-gracious lady, how may I repay you?” he asked.
“Rise, my dear brother,” Countess Eurybia said.
Captain Gennadios stood up and awaited his orders. He remembered all the Countess had done for him, and served with joy. “How can I be of service?” he asked.
“Your most recent short sword design has proven effective. I am now convinced it is battle-ready. I want you to prepare a sufficient number for my army. Thirty-five thousand (35000) pairs of those short swords are required. However, I want you to first produce five hundred (500) pairs. I have a mission for my troops, to collect taxes from a local village along the southern border that was newly annexed,” Countess Eurybia said.
“My ever-gracious lady, I must say that I will require four (4) days, and then I will have for you six hundred (600) pairs,” Captain Gennadios said.
“Very well. Then I will send six hundred (600) of my troops, so as not to waste the extra weapons. Get to work immediately,” Countess Eurybia said.
~~~
Captain Gennadios returned to the castle armory and worked efficient and methodically to produce the required diamond-ruby composite short swords, working twenty (20) of the thirty (30) hours of each of the next four (4) days.
~~~
“Colonel Nekoda, prepare six hundred (600) of your troops. When the new short swords are ready, they are to be battle tested. If a weapon breaks, reclaim it, leaving no fragments to be discovered. His designs are secret,” Countess Eurybia said. She knew the Colonel was waiting in the darkness for her orders, and would act swiftly.
~~~
At the end of the four (4) days, Captain Gennadios forged the promised six hundred (600) pairs of the short swords, mounting them on racks around the room.
He watched as the carefully crafted diamond-ruby composite weapons quickly vanished into the darkness, knowing that Colonel Nekoda and his lieutenants – also hidden – would help themselves to the armaments at the precise moment.
Captain Gennadios then returned to the throne room, knelt before Countess Eurybia and said: “My ever-gracious lady, the first set of six hundred (600) pairs of the new short swords have been completed, and Colonel Nekoda has taken hold of them. Should I proceed to build the remaining thirty-four thousand four hundred (34400) pairs? I await your next command.”
“Rise, my dear brother. I await the results. I don’t expect to be waiting for long, however. Colonel Nekoda is efficient. Do nothing until he returns,” Countess Eurybia said.
Captain Gennadios stood up, hoping to find a new way to please the Countess.
~~~
Outside the castle, Colonel Nekoda drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial once again. He rarely appeared before anyone, even the Countess. He preferred to move swiftly and stealthily without attracting attention. Countess Eurybia was known to be a lustful woman, and he did not want to catch her eye. She might begin to desire him, and he would not be allowed – or able – to refuse. The carnal indulgence, though enjoyable, would weaken his battle-readiness. The Countess might then lose interest in him altogether after a few intimate encounters, because the novelty would soon fade. She had a cruel way of disposing of slaves she no longer found useful, and he didn’t care to go down that path.
From under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda and his lieutenants handed out the six hundred (600) pairs of diamond-ruby composite short swords to the troops under their command and assigned to the current mission.
~~~
The six hundred (600) troops who stood before Colonel Nekoda and his lieutenants all received their pairs of crystal short swords from the commanding officers. They each drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from their vials to be energized with the powers of strength and speed.
~~~
Still under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda said: “Twenty-three (23) miles to the south and six (6) miles to the west is a newly annexed farming village. Taxes of forty-five (45) percent are to be collected, under pain of death. I expect little resistance, and tolerate none. For every one (1) farmer who resists, kill two (2) farmers and their entire families. That will discourage any further dissent. Three (3) of our riverboats await. Forward! March!”
Colonel Nekoda and his lieutenants walked and watched from behind as the six hundred (600) troops marched one (1) mile forward and boarded the three (3) waiting riverboats, each vessel being one hundred ninety (190) feet in length and having two (2) sets of non-pivoting single-masted sails. Sailing crystals were embedded in the fabric of the sails, but could only provide forward propulsion due to their orientation.
Once the troops boarded the riverboats, Colonel Nekoda and the other lieutenants raised the anchors on each vessel. The stored up solar energy in the sailing crystals moved the ships quickly southward along the river.
~~~
“Inside the castle, Countess Eurybia said: “I’m getting older, much too quickly. I don’t like this at all, Gennadios.”
“My ever-gracious lady, you torture yourself with this talk. You are under thirty (30) years of age. Your youth is firmly with you,” Captain Gennadios said.
“Death awaits, getting ever-closer with each passing moment. I drank the wrong waters, Gennadios. Only the Ursegan waters can delay death as much as I would like,” Countess Eurybia said.
“To worry so much is to give death a helping hand. You deserve better. You always did, my lady,” Captain Gennadios said.
“Why did you drink the Kazofen waters, Gennadios? Was it because our foolish parents insisted on it?” Countess Eurybia asked.
“Indeed, they felt it was the finest way to earn a living, by working stones and crystals and purifying the Gradaken waters for the farmers,” Captain Gennadios said.
“You weren’t paid well, were you? And the seventy (70) percent taxes made us truly poor. These peasants complain about the forty-five (45) percent we levy and have no idea of the relative ease of their lives. They are unappreciative of my generosity,” Countess Eurybia said.
“Indeed, you are most generous and kind, my ever-gracious lady,” Captain Gennadios said.
“Yes I am. Especially for someone who drinks the Nabavodel waters. Those ‘tiger waters’ are aptly named. I feel the power. I feel the rage. I feel the speed and the strength. I drink them and I become fierce. Yet, I contain myself. I am no warlord. I am not brutal as are so many of the lords across the continent. I am demanding, yes, but I deserve all that I claim. When these people pay my taxes, I let them live in peace,” Countess Eurybia said.
“You are kind indeed, my ever-gracious lady. That I will never forget. For that, I will always love you,” Captain Gennadios said.
“You are a good man, my dear brother. Your gratitude is undying, and your service is excellent. Yet, time passes for you as well. And death will take you all too soon. Our parents never worried about the passage of time. They preached patience. Yet, in their patience, they moved slowly and earned too little. Worse, they suffered the high taxation too readily, unwilling to fight,” Countess Eurybia said.
“Indeed, you were willing to fight. That is why I am still alive, because of your strength and speed,” Captain Gennadios said.
�
�And because of my impatience. I did not wait for our pitiful parents to scrounge together the money to pay the herbalist for the cure. When the infection was tearing you apart, and you coughed up blood and could hardly move from the pain, I found the medicine man and compelled him to cure you, immediately, under pain of death for him and his entire family. After I choked his daughter nearly to death, he understood what ‘immediately’ meant. She still walks with a limp, has trouble talking and she’s blind in her left eye. For that, they’ll remember me, always,” Countess Eurybia said.
“They were worse than the rattlesnake that bit me and caused the infection. Worse by far. Your actions were merciful, considering that the herbalist was prepared to let me die for lack of money to pay for the cure,” Captain Gennadios said.
“I laughed when our parents died. And do you know why? Because death came so quickly for them. Death is not patient. Crixalethicis moves quickly. They should have been better providers. They should have been able to take care of us and to fight for us. They let us down, Gennadios,” Countess Eurybia said.
~~~
Five (5) hours later, Colonel Nekoda and his lieutenants returned to the castle grounds, along with the six hundred (600) troops.
~~~
“Return to your barracks,” Colonel Nekoda said from under the cover of darkness. His lieutenants guided the troops to the one hundred eighty (180) stone buildings that surrounded the castle, where they rejoined the rest of the army.
Colonel Nekoda then entered the castle and placed a chest of coins in front of the throne of Countess Eurybia. Only his delivery of tax money was visible while he remained cloaked.
~~~
“Colonel Nekoda, how many rebellious farmers did you need to destroy in order to teach the others?” Countess Eurybia asked when she saw the chest of coins appear in front of her from out of the darkness. She still could not see the Colonel, but she knew it was him.
