Affinity for War

by Frank Morin

  South of the orderly trading houses, a warren of narrow, winding streets split off of the wide, straight main thoroughfares. Two and three story buildings clustered close around those little streets, packed in tight. No doubt that's where the poorer classes lived.

  And the distant southern reaches of the city gave way to vast, sprawling tent communities, interspersed with enormous paddocks for livestock. Connor's eyes were drawn even farther south, to the enormous army camped a mile south of the city's outskirts.

  Connor focused his quartzite-enhanced vision in that direction, but for a moment simply marveled at the vista. The plain sparkled in the sunshine, the enormous city reflecting hues uniquely visible to Pathfinders, transforming it into a breathtaking wonder. He wished Verena could see it the way he did.

  About a mile southwest of the city, a modest lake was nestled between rocky hills with steep banks. From their height, it looked like a giant mouth, gaping wide, filled with water. The army was camped near the lake, spreading across the plain to the east. As his gaze swooped over the army, he recognized Wolfram's standards.

  "That's Wolfram's army," Hamish said, rising to stand and point.

  Verena was already banking the Storm to fly around the eastern fringe of the city. Her expression turned grim. "Harz must have fallen. There's no other reason Wolfram would have retreated all the way to here."

  "We have needing information," Gisela said.

  Verena cocked her head to one side and touched the side of her helmet. "Kilian? Ear Hub? Can you hear me?"

  She must have activated the speakstones in her helmet. Almost immediately she smiled and said, "It's good to hear your voice, Kilian."

  Connor hadn't expected Kilian to get hurt in the fighting, but knowing the ancient Dawnus was on hand helped him relax. Connor might be Blood of the Tallan, but Kilian's experience could not be replaced.

  Verena said, "It's quite a tale. We defeated the elfonnel, but Jean did most of the work." She paused, nodding again, even though Kilian couldn't see her. "Yes. She's with us, so you can get the story directly from her when we land."

  After another pause she said, "The whole group, plus another Mhortair named Sir." She paused to listen and glanced back toward Sir, who was staring calmly out over the vista. "Of course. We'll land in just a few minutes."

  "Did he tell you what happened with that other elfonnel?" Connor asked.

  "He said he'll explain when we land."

  "Well, what did he say?" Hamish asked.

  "He's saving dinner for you."

  "Kilian's a good man, never doubt it," Hamish said with a happy smile.

  As they swept around the city, Connor studied the huge plain, that ran for miles to the south and had to be almost five miles wide. It looked like the bottom of a giant box. The eastern boundary was formed by a long line of very regular hills. They looked like they were made of huge stockpiles of earth.

  "That's a lot of dirt."

  Verena said, "Those weren't here the last time I visited."

  "When was that?" Connor asked.

  As Verena began to descend she said, "A couple years ago. I'll tell you about it later."

  That was odd. She didn't usually need to focus that hard while flying. A couple minutes later they slowed and dropped toward part of the field where half a dozen long windriders were parked. Connor spotted Kilian waiting for them with Wolfram and a large company of soldiers. They looked grim.

  The reception was not what Connor expected. Kilian all but ignored the rest of them, his focus entirely on Sir. He did not look happy to have a Mhortair in Granadure, let alone at Altkalen, and he forced Sir to surrender all of his power stones.

  Sir did not seem surprised by the cold reception and submitted to Kilian's demands. Before leaving to wait in a lone tent, set up in an empty field, surrounded by Petralists, including a Flameweaver and a Sapper, Sir said, "I came knowing the risks, with the intent to join forces against a greater enemy."

  Kilian said, "Perhaps. We will speak again soon, Assassin."

  "Kilian, he freed Aifric from Dougal's control." Connor understood the need for caution around the Mhortair, but Kilian's greeting seemed harsher than necessary.

  "We will do nothing in haste," Kilian said, and Sir left under heavy guard.

  Only then did Kilian relax, hug Verena and Jean, and give the rest of them a welcoming smile. "I am so glad you're all right. You have no idea how much danger you were in."

  "I wouldn't have let him harm them," Aifric said.

  "I know you believe that. Come. We have much to talk about."

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  "Can a road taken in haste be thoroughly enjoyed?"

  ~Evander

  The group headed to Wolfram's command tent. As soon as they entered, a pair of Pathfinders stationed outside began active blocking measures around the tent. The inside was organized in almost exactly the same way as every other command tent Connor had ever seen.

  A large, round table covered with maps, papers, and parchments dominated the main room. A huge map of southern Granadure was fastened to a board standing near the far end of the table, with brass pins representing allied and enemy forces.

  Wolfram gestured them to sit. "I'm glad you're all safe. We cannot afford to lose any of you."

  Verena said, "It was bad, but could have been so much worse."

  "Tell us, Jean," Kilian said as they all sat around the table.

  Jean flushed under the attention, but related what happened at the Builder compound. Dierk made sure she didn't downplay her contributions, and Connor was impressed anew by Jean's heroic actions. She was not the helpless girl they had assumed.

  Wolfram and Kilian looked amazed by the story, and Kilian said, "Jean, I believe when this is all over, Granadure owes you a medal."

  "Or five," Wolfram said.

  "Any of you would have done more," Jean said.

  Kilian said, "The abilities of others don't diminish your heroism. Without that keystone, we might have lost Faulenrost too. I wonder what else it might do?"

  “Would it have activated the bomb?” Jean asked.

  Verena said, "I’m glad you didn’t have to find out, but it’s possible. The keystone has a lot of potential. Exploring it is a top priority."

  Wolfram cautioned, "We must not lose sight of the fact that we must repel the invasion here at Altkalen, or there may be no stopping it."

  "What happened at Harz?" Verena asked.

  "Dougal outplayed us," Kilian said bitterly.

  Aifric spoke for the first time. "From the bits I gleaned from his mind, I believe he planned every aspect of these initial battles with exacting precision."

  Kilian said, "I should have suspected the truth about what happened to you. I'm sorry, Aifric. I had assumed Dougal had been so focused on Connor that you escaped."

  "Perhaps we can leverage my failure now," Aifric said.

  "Did you sense what he plans next?" Kilian asked.

  She shook her head. "Only that he was frustrated. His plan is working, but not as well as he needs it to."

  Kilian nodded slowly. "That's true. Camonica achieved only a partial success, and the fire-bound elfonnel that destroyed the Emmerich quarry and drove Wolfram from Harz was in turn destroyed."

  "You have to tell us more about what happened than that," Connor urged.

  Wolfram asked, "Why raise that elemental so far away? If they'd raised it right there in Harz Valley, we might have suffered a full rout."

  "Dougal couldn't ignore the quarry, not with the risk that we might perhaps discover a new stone to counter obsidian," Kilian said.

  "What new stone?" Wolfram's usual unflappable calm cracked for once. He was an Allcarver, so an obsidian nullifying stone would be a direct threat.

  Kilian said, "At this point, the existence of such a stone is only conjecture."

  "This must be kept secret," Wolfram insisted.

  "Dougal overheard our discussion through me," Aifric said.

  "So what happ
ened at Harz?" Connor asked again.

  "The fire-bound drove Wolfram's forces back and could have wreaked terrible damage before I arrived."

  "Could have?" Hamish asked.

  Wolfram said, "We deployed two of our own sculpted stones to buttress defensive efforts, but even that wasn't enough. The Obrioners timed a renewed advance to the elfonnel assault. They also used slate and marble sculpted stones to augment their powers. Your friend Ivor was the one wielding the marble stone. We were very nearly overwhelmed."

  At least it sounded like Ivor hadn't been sacrificed to raise the fire-bound elfonnel. "I'm not surprised. Ivor walks with fire better than anyone I know."

  Kilian raised an eyebrow and Connor added quickly, "Except for you, of course."

  "And you?" Verena asked.

  "I probably match him for raw intensity now, but he's a lot more experienced. I think I've got the advantage with water, though."

  Wolfram said, "He was very effective. We were forced to retreat north, with the elfonnel tearing at our rearguard. But the entire top half of a nearby mountain broke off and smashed down over the monster. The blow severely damaged it."

  Kilian said, "I arrived shortly after that, and we finished it off. Evander's intervention was most timely."

  "Evander?" Hamish and Jean asked in unison before Connor could.

  Wolfram said, "Anton felt Evander's presence just before the mountain broke."

  "Where is he now?" Connor asked, imagining the giant Sentry rising silently out of the ground right there under the tent and saying something incomprehensible.

  Kilian shrugged. "I suspect he returned to Obrion. He rarely ventures this far north, but he shares my duty to defend the continent from elfonnel."

  "Then why doesn't he join us?" Connor asked excitedly.

  "With his help, we could sweep them all right back to Obrion!" Verena said excitedly.

  Kilian shook his head. "It's not that simple with Evander. He and I do not agree on several important points, including the existence of Granadure."

  Verena looked as confused as Connor felt. "He supports Dougal's invasion?"

  "He's rather a traditionalist. He never liked breaking the original empire and would support the reunification of the continent."

  "So he's lived since the Tallan Wars, too?" Hamish asked.

  Kilian nodded. "Evander was Tallan's younger brother."

  Connor tried to look calm as he absorbed the incredible news, but he felt that Kilian had wasted an important moment. Things that amazing needed to be shared with a little more fanfare, not dropped as an afterthought.

  Gisela seemed less shocked than the rest of them. "I was knowing he was very older."

  "If he helped you and Tallan fight your mother, why did he decide to live in Obrion?" Connor asked.

  Kilian shook his head slowly. "Evander did not support our rebellion."

  "He helped her kill the Builders?" Verena gasped.

  Kilian shook his head again. "He abhorred that slaughter."

  "Does he support anything?" Hamish demanded.

  "Like I said, things get complicated with that boy."

  "I think all that Sentry speak makes it hard to think simple thoughts," Connor said.

  Maybe the next time he saw Evander he'd ask him what his favorite food was. He'd probably say something like, 'The fish do not seek the hook, but savor every morsel discovered in the eternal hunt through the weeds.'

  Actually, that wasn't bad, although Connor wasn't sure what it meant. That would make it perfect to try on Evander, or maybe Anton.

  "It is consistent with his perspective to both support the invasion yet intervene against an elfonnel to protect the integrity of the continent," Kilian said.

  Wolfram stroked one of his long mustaches. "It's a good thing he did. Even with his help, the lands north of Harz are dangerously unstable. The rise of the elfonnel, combined with the use of all those sculpted stones destabilized the area. After we destroyed the elfonnel, we were forced to retreat north to Altkalen because the land north of Harz became unsafe."

  Kilian said, "I've only ever seen the elements destabilize to that extent one other time."

  "The Broken Waters," Gisela said softly.

  Kilian nodded. "The land north of Harz is broken. The ground ripples and shakes, rent with fiery geysers and bubbling lakes of poisonous mud. The air is vicious, and fires seem to spring randomly out of the ground."

  Verena looked close to tears. "They're destroying our country! They can't occupy Granadure either if it's not habitable."

  Kilian patted her hand. "I doubt Dougal expected that result, but neither can I believe he was ignorant of the risk. I am hopeful the elements will settle in time. When we have time, we might even try coaxing them to do so. If Dougal had raised any more elfonnel, much of southern Granadure might have been destroyed, along with both armies."

  Wolfram grimaced. “And with the lands spitting fire like that, it seems to have only delayed the onset of winter further.”

  “Oh, how I wish for a five day blizzard,” Verena whispered.

  “Don’t count on it,” Kilian said. “I don’t sense any major weather movement coming.”

  Connor wondered, “Is it possible to manipulate the weather?”

  “Not substantially,” Kilian said. “The only person I’ve known with enough control to make any noticeable difference was my mother, but even she couldn’t hope to turn a major blizzard.”

  Connor wondered what it would feel like to try.

  "What if Dougal raises another elfonnel here at Altkalen?" Verena asked softly, returning to their greatest fear.

  Kilian's expression darkened. "That could tip the balance over the edge. This area has a history of volcanic activity and would be even easier to destabilize than Harz. At the least we'd probably lose both armies and the city."

  "That's over half a million people!" Verena exclaimed.

  For a moment no one spoke. Connor struggled to grasp such an enormous number of people in one area. He just couldn't make himself consider so many dying together.

  "Dougal must take Altkalen. He cannae afford not to," Martys said into the silence.

  "And we cannot allow him to, no matter the cost," Wolfram declared solemnly.

  While they digested that hard truth, Kilian said, "Dougal's original plan has brought him this far, but victory here is anything but certain."

  "Then we have to assume he's ready to risk using those sculpted stones again," Connor said.

  Verena banged a fist to the table. "We need to take them!"

  Kilian nodded. "I believe you're right. We've got perhaps three days to figure out how to do it before they arrive."

  Wolfram rose. "I am preparing to meet with the ruling council of Altkalen. We must coordinate defensive measures with them."

  Verena shook her head. "We really need to speak with the lord marshal. He's the one responsible for the military."

  Kilian said, "Actually, these days it's the lady marshal. The lord marshal suffered a stroke and his daughter has stepped up to assume most of his duties."

  Verena's somber mode disappeared and her face lit up in a happy smile. "Saskia is lady marshal? Let's go see her!"

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  “The avalanche may block a pass, but the waters flow ever downward."

  ~Ilse

  Hamish offered to fly most of the group in the Storm to the citadel at the north end of Altkalen. As the others piled in, Connor jumped onto the stirrups at the back of the Swift.

  "Who's Saskia?" he asked as Verena ignited the thrusters and the Swift lifted a foot into the air.

  The little craft felt light on the air, as if it matched Verena's eagerness to fly. The Storm's huge thrusters roared like eager lions as it lifted off in a swirling blast of dust. Verena ascended fast, with Hamish following close behind.

  "Saskia was my best friend at the academy," Verena said as Connor leaned close to hear over the wind.

  "You've mentioned the academy befor
e," Connor said as they rose to five hundred feet and got a spectacular view of the enormous city sprawling away toward the horizon. "Tell me about it."

  A soft smile played across her lips. "It's roughly equivalent to the Carraig. The academy is where all the Grandurian noble children earn their advanced educations, study leadership, and of course develop any Petralist powers."

  "Is that where you first learned to be a Builder?"

  She shook her head. "Builders are so new, there's no established curriculum. We really should include a better school in our plan for a new Builder center. I discovered my Builder powers at the academy and chose to leave to study with Dierk and the newly-formed Builder corps. Before that, I was just another student. I loved the academy and had a lot of fun with Saskia and her--"

  Verena snapped her mouth shut on the last word, and Connor was surprised to see a flush creep into her cheeks.

  "Her what?" he prodded.

  "Nothing," she said quickly. "The academy days are over. We should probably focus on today's problems, don't you think?"

  "Sure." Now Connor was more eager than ever to meet Saskia. Maybe she'd tell him more.

  They swept over the city that seemed to sparkle in the mid-afternoon sunlight. Connor wished they could stop to explore the huge market.

  The fact that it was laid out in such a strictly ordered way seemed wrong, though. Most markets were chaotic, with vendors pressed close together, shouting over each other to steal the attention of prospective customers. A thousand scents would clash in the air, while shoppers struggled to find what they needed without getting cheated.

  Actually, he hated most markets.

  In minutes, they reached the citadel and landed in a courtyard beside two troop transport windriders. Hamish landed nearby in a rush of wind.

  As everyone clambered out, Kilian said, "Martys, you and Aifric should probably wait here."

  Martys shrugged and settled back into the third row seats. "Fine by me. I sleep better when there no be a mile of empty sky betwixt me and the ground."