The Aspect: The Cessation's Harbinger

by Ajax Lygan

  “You make a good point.”

  Queen Vatia nodded before approaching Tempest, placing her hand on the back of his arm. “I could see it on your face after the first meeting that you were mentally exhausted. This isn’t what you were meant for. You were meant to do what you did in Ashwreath, The Academy, and The Cessation’s fortress. You are an extension of Yuria’s will, a hammer driving the nail of justice into our enemies. That is the path meant for you, not these frivolous discussions.”

  Tempest looked up at Queen Vatia and smiled. “I appreciate the kind words, your majesty. You’ve given me much to consider.” He saw her lower eye twitch, even though she smiled.

  “Well then, we won’t take any more of your time, your Eminence. Please consider my words carefully.”

  “I most certainly will.” Tempest waited until the Queen and King were no longer within shouting distance before he ran his hands down the sides of his face, blowing out a deep breath. He felt like he was being strangled by his own clothes. He pulled his robe open and looked around for the nearest opening in the wall, in the hopes a cool breeze might help him calm down.

  When he reached the opening, he took solace in seeing the birds soar along the horizon. The rolling hills reminded him of waves on Captain Helmrunner’s boat, bringing a smile to his face as he reflected on the shanties the crew liked to sing. It wasn’t more than a minute before the sound of footsteps approaching behind him alerted him of another visitor.

  “Your Eminence, may I have a word?” the concerned feminine voice asked. Tempest tapped the nearby wall before turning around. The bright red and tan skin of Empress Poliko was a stark contrast from Captain Helmrunner’s. The tentacles she had for hair were almost as long as she was tall. Her skin was pristine, hiding all signs of age or weariness. Surprisingly, she was without an escort. He was certain it was the first time he had seen her alone since she had been on Joromund’s Peak.

  “Empress Poliko, correct?” Tempest asked. “I don’t think we’ve formally met.”

  “That’s correct,” she said, holding her fist in her palm and bowing. “My apologies it did not come sooner, however, with the condition you came in, I decided it best to leave you to rest.”

  “Your consideration is most appreciated; however, I’m sure you saw me the previous evening. I know I saw you.”

  “Momentarily, I assure you,” she said, her eyes blinking rapidly. “I’m not one who usually partakes in the night’s revelries, especially after the loss of my late husband.”

  Tempest furrowed his brow and lowered his voice. “I am sorry for your loss, your majesty. Although I did not get the chance to meet him, I heard he was a great man.”

  “It’s kind of you to say as much. However, I am not here to speak of the past, rather to look toward our future.” The Queen looked over her shoulder, holding her gaze on the courtyard for a long moment before turning and looking Tempest deep in the eye. “I am ashamed to say this, but I eavesdropped on your conversation with Queen Vatia.”

  “I, at least, appreciate the honesty,” Tempest said, crossing his arms. “I assume this has something to do with the motion Queen Vatia put forward today?”

  Empress Poliko nodded. “The motion is completely ridiculous. There would be no way we could possibly sustain ourselves without encroaching on continental territory if that were to pass.”

  “I agree. When I first heard the matter, it sounded almost absurd.”

  “Thank you!” she said, waving her arms. “Yet, somehow the Queen has convinced half of the council to go along with it.”

  “Really? Did they not hear about the basic need for ubians to breathe?”

  “That’s the problem. They heard it, but they didn’t listen—or they didn’t care. Vatia is promising the only thing those charlatans care about, money. Without restrictions in place, they’ll have unlimited access to our oceans and will soon strip it for all the resources they can harvest. We already have enough problems with their predations, as it is, but we manage things because we can control the borders. Could you imagine what would happen if they had full reign in our territory with no concerns? I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but it’s liable to start a war.”

  Tempest interlaced his fingers on top of his head and began to pace. He knew he had to do something, but to give Queen Vatia credit, she’d been right. This was not his element. And here, a quick decision could drastically affect the lives of millions of people. War was the last thing that the people of Iðna needed right now.

  The only thing he could agree on at this time was that he needed advice.

  “Empress Poliko, I am in agreement with you, however, I do not want war to be the cause of a decision I make. I need further input from others. I do have one question, though—would you consider conceding additional territory as a stopgap?”

  The Queen leaned her chin on her hand as she looked around the courtyard, considering the proposal. “We will not concede additional territory; however, I would consider leasing our territory, up to fifty miles off the coast for commercial purposes only. There would need to be other limitations, as well. To Chief Thunderhoof’s earlier point, pollution has become a major problem in the seas that must be curbed.”

  “Noted. Give me some time; I’ll see what I can do.” For the first time Tempest had seen, the Empress smiled. She gave a bow before departing, and Tempest watched as she walked away. He slumped against the nearby wall, scuffing his hands vigorously across his face. It was time for a break.

  Wondering what his companions were up to, he looked for Ella and Riika. Knowing Riika, he entered the first floor of the tower, making his way toward the hot springs. He waved at the acolyte who had assisted them the night before as he passed through the changing area.

  Shouts and yelling filled the room when he opened the sliding door. Chieftainess Wildfang was standing at the edge of one of the pools giving Riika a piece of her mind. Brimmaw stood off to the side.

  “You are bound by your blood! You owe it to your people to come with us and return to Ungroth’s Path.”

  “I don’t owe you shit,” Riika said with a snarl. “I’ve never been part of the tribes, nor do I plan to.”

  Queen Wildfang’s stare followed Riika’s eyes as Tempest approached her from behind.

  “What’s going on here?” Tempest asked, placing his fists on his hips.

  “Nothing at all,” Riika said, grabbing a nearby glass. “Chieftainess Wild-whatever and her lackey are demanding I come back with them to Ungroth’s Path.”

  “I am your Chieftainess and you will show me respect,” Chieftainess Wildfang said, baring her teeth, spittle flying as she stabbed a finger at Riika.

  Riika looked up from her drink, crushed the glass with her bare hand, and stood up from the pool. “If anyone is my Chieftain, then he is, not you,” she said pointing to Tempest. “Now you need to leave before I make both of you regret it.”

  Queen Wildfang looked over her shoulder at Brimmaw and then keeled over in forced laughter. “Oh, I don’t need any help to bend you to my will, blueblood. I’m taking you with me, whether you like it or not.”

  “I’d like to see you try.” The two pressed their foreheads together, chaotic smiles hardening on their faces.

  Tempest watched Ella get out of the pool and wrap herself with a towel as she joined him at his side. “Should I do something?” he whispered.

  “It’s best not to get involved,” she said, leaning into his side. “This is personal to her. It’ll only make things worse, if you do.”

  Their foreheads ground like two rocks being pressed together as they slid their heads to the side, leaving both of them with red and purple circles on their foreheads.

  “You’d like to see me try?” Chieftainess Wildfang asked with a fang-toothed smile. “Fine then, boka ok’tar.”

  The words were music to Riika’s ears as her grin widened in a predatory smile. Brimmaw, on the other hand, seemed less than enthusiastic. Tempest saw him freeze up when the Chieftainess
uttered her challenge.

  “What are the terms then?” Riika asked.

  “You win, I’ll leave you alone and you’ll never hear from the tribe again,” she said, poking a finger into Riika’s chest. “You lose, you depart with us to Ungroth’s Path once the deliberations are complete. There, you will get to work helping to rebuild the clan.”

  Riika’s smile dissipated as she turned and looked over at Tempest and Ella. In that moment, Tempest could see the pain of her loss, something which turned inexplicably to anger as she gritted her teeth and extended her arm. “Deal.”

  The two orcs clasped forearms with the sound of two trees colliding. Chieftainess Wildfang’s smile stretched from ear to ear as she glared at Tempest before she and Brimmaw left the hot springs.

  “I love that we were supposed to come down here to relax, yet you found a way to get in a squabble with the first orc you see,” Ella said, crossing her arms.

  “It’s not like I asked for it,” Riika growled, throwing her hands in the air. “She came after me!”

  Ella crossed her arms and tapped her bottom lip. “That’s true, but did you really have to agree to fight her? Couldn’t you have just let it go?”

  “You know I can’t.” Riika said, picking up a nearby towel. “They’ve been after me ever since they found out I existed.”

  “It was after word started spreading about what you did to your father’s killers.” Ella’s eyes went wide as she smacked her hand over her mouth.

  Riika shot her a glare that could have cut steel.

  “Gods, Ella, just what I needed to hear right now.” Riika slapped another towel over her shoulder as she pushed past her companions.

  Ella’s attempt to apologize was met with the slamming of the changing room’s sliding door.

  Tempest scratched the top of his head as he turned to face Ella. “Riika’s dad is dead?” he asked. “I could have sworn I’ve heard her say he’s fine.”

  Ella just stared off into the distance and shook her head. She didn’t look at him until Tempest waved a hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention. She let out a vast sigh before looking up at him.

  “It’s a lie that she and Bram tell themselves as a coping mechanism. They’ve had a tough time dealing with his loss, and so one day they started acting like he was still around. They seemed to believe that by treating it that way, they’d not let his killers take his memory away from them.”

  When she finished, she paused and placed a hand on his chest. “I’m only telling you this, so you understand. If you want the complete story, that’s something Riika will need to share with you… when the time is right. But in no way should you ever ask her about it. She’ll come to you, when she’s ready.”

  Tempest nodded and rubbed his tongue along his teeth as the weight of the secret fell upon him. The two headed out to the courtyard after Ella had finished changing.

  When they reached the courtyard, several orc tribesmen were placing rocks in a large circle where Brimmaw directed them, while another female orc painted the Chieftainess in red paint. Many of the members of the IRC had gathered chairs and were sitting on the main floor before the stairs.

  Chieftainess Wildfang pushed the other orc away as her challenger approached.

  Tempest turned to see Riika descending the stairs that led down from the levels above. She was wearing a fur skirt and bra, similar in fashion to the Chieftainess. As she entered the circle, she began stretching her arms and legs, preparing for combat. A hesitant call of Tempest’s name alerted him to the approach of Saïgra and Alyndra.

  “What’s going on?” Saïgra asked.

  “Chieftainess Wildfang challenged Riika to combat,” he said, pointing to the pair. “She wants her to come back to Ungroth’s Path and join the clan.”

  “Why?”

  “She wants to rebuild the orcs,” Alyndra said, turning toward the ring. “That’s been her motivation since she clawed her way to becoming Chieftainess. The orcs were given Ungroth’s Path when they were freed. Most merchants take the path, so they don’t have to deal with the harsh tundra to the north or take some other risky path through the mountains. The original idea was that they would be able to tax anyone who wanted to use the path, as well as giving them a place to stay, and a small pittance.”

  She looked thoughtfully at the two large she-orcs. “The program worked out well for the orcs, as they soon began to hire themselves out as mercenaries for caravans heading toward Verve or Obovna, as bands of bandits often roam the sands of the eastern desert. Since she’s been Chieftainess, their power has grown considerably—thanks to her firm rule and mandatory breeding program.”

  “Their what?” Tempest asked, grabbing her shoulder.

  “It’s barbaric, I know, but effective,” Alyndra said, shrugging. “They spend most of their money on shamans, healers, and every kind of spell or salve they can find in an effort to increase their females’ chances of giving birth. Before the curse and as potent as orc seed was, most of the time women would have three to four children a season. Now, either nothing happens because they are infertile or, if the women do get pregnant, it’s just as likely to miscarry. So, the Chieftainess is playing a harsh numbers game.”

  Tempest felt a knot in his throat as he looked back out to the ring. He was almost twenty feet away but could still hear Riika’s knuckles cracking as she pressed her fist into her hand.

  With the last stone laid, Brimmaw moved to the middle of the circle and announced to the crowd. “Chieftainess Wildfang has challenged Riika Treehammer in a motion of boka ok’tar. The two shall face off in hand-to-hand combat until one or the other concedes, either through submission or unconsciousness. Once that occurs, the victor will be declared and the terms, as agreed upon by the combatants, will be honored or else they’ll be forever shamed in Ungroth’s eyes.”

  Brimmaw turned and shuffled out of the stone ring before turning and addressing the spectators. “Combatants ready?” He held a fist aloft.

  Tempest watched as Riika took her traditional stance, holding her left fist vertically, six inches in front of her face, right at eye level. She held her right fist beside her chin with her elbow tucked against her body. Chieftainess Wildfang was a lot more unorthodox, spreading her clawed fingers out to the side of her hips, baring her teeth like a wild animal.

  "Fight!”

  At the drop of Brimmaw’s hand, Chieftainess Wildfang lunged at Riika, swiping wildly with both hands. Riika, expecting the attack, side-stepped out of the way as she began circling her opponent. Tempest cocked his brow as he’d expected several counter attacks from Riika already. The Chieftainess’ wide swings left her vulnerable to such counterattacks. It wouldn’t have taken Riika much to move in and deliver a combination of punches to the Chieftainess’ rib cage that would have sent her gasping to the floor.

  Maybe she’s playing this safe, Tempest mused. She’s studying her, waiting for her to tire herself out. That thought was easily disproved as the fight went on, though. The Chieftainess showed no signs of slowing down. Eventually this game of cat and mouse stopped as Chieftainess Wildfang called Riika out.

  “Is this it? This is the famed Riika Treehammer? You’re nothing but a weak pretender.”

  Riika clicked her teeth and dropped her guard, standing up straight as she retorted. “Weak?” She smirked, extending both hands out in front of her. “All right, come see for yourself.”

  Chieftainess Wildfang jumped at the challenge, clasping hands with Riika. The two strained through their smiles as the striations on their shoulders flickered like an insect’s wings. The two competed in a test of strength. It didn’t last long, though, as Riika soon began to laugh, and Wildfang gritted her teeth, struggling to match her foes immense strength.

  Riika took it slowly, using her overpowering strength to press her foe’s wrists down, causing her opponent to drop to a knee.

  The Chieftainess caught Riika with surprise, though, as with an amazing display of dexterity, she kicked Rii
ka with her foot. However, the results were not as she expected as Riika pulled her into her hip, twisted, and flung her to the ground in a single motion.

  Wildfang, unaffected, rolled to her feet and began throwing everything she had at Riika. Her movements intimated there was a method to the madness as she swung wildly, using both her fists, legs, shins, and head, one movement turning easily into the next. She spun, flipped, and attacked, all in the same motion, causing Riika to fall back on the defensive.

  The speed at which the Chieftainess moved was unexpected, but Riika weathered the storm.

  Tempest could see the bruising and dagger-like cuts forming on Riika’s forearms. Before long, drops of blood became streams as each attack connected. Sprays of blood and chunks of flesh flew around the stone circle each time the Chieftainess’ claws connected. Tempest thought for a moment on his ability to heal Riika from afar, but pushed that thought aside as he knew Riika would consider it an unforgivable offense and a stain upon her honor.

  It was in the blur of motion of Wildclaw’s assault that Tempest and Riika locked eyes for just a moment. A small smile crept across her face that put his worries to ease. With a twist of her body, Riika leaned to the side, following the motion with a right body shot to Wildfang’s sternum, sending her airborne.

  Before her feet even touched the ground, Riika had landed two follow up shots to her body, knocking the Chieftainess to her knees. She coughed up blood, gasping for air, as she stared up at Riika.

  “Concede,” Riika said in a low growl.

  The Chieftainess gave her a bloody smile. “Go on…finish it…”

  “You’re not worth it.”

  A gasping cackle echoed into the day as the Chieftainess leaned back on her knees. “You’re no orc…you’re weak…just like your dwarven father.”

  Riika’s lips curled as she stomped over to the wounded woman. She gritted her teeth as she gripped her hand around the Chieftainess’ throat, raising her into the air. She was about to snap her neck until she locked eyes once more with Tempest.