The Scythe and the Seer, Book 3 of the Enchanter's Cycle

Surthath watched the board as its pieces moved on their own. There was little else he could do...

Dur’Artoth had been collecting allies in the shadows, biding his time for this opportunity. Rel’Gaarmathar, Old One of Destruction, Tu’Narcuteth, Old One of Madness, and Selevus, Old One of the Hunt, had all joined forces against Moonshadow and trapped him in eternal limbo with them.

Try as he might, even with his most powerful and obscure arcana, Surthath could see no possible escape, and while he knew most of the more goodly Old Ones would eventually resist this alliance, it would only be after the events of his failing prophecy have run their course. By then, if he was correct, it would be too late.

“Imbeciles...” he cursed, glaring at his captors, “...have you any comprehension of what you are doing?”

“Absolutely.” Rel’Gaarmathar replied, “Bringing great and untold destruction to the Veil and the Pantheon. What greater cause need I, Brother?”

Surthath scowled, “He will create a supreme order...what great chaos can unfold from that? You are deluded.”

“Hardly.” the Old One replied, “The destruction that will ensue will more than please me for all eternity. I am content with things as they will be.”

“And what of you, Selevus?” Surthath asked, “I had thought you an ally once, ere you sided with Dur’Artoth in the Dreadborne War. What have you to say to me?”

The Old One of the Hunt said nothing. Nothing at all.

“Too quiet, that one.” Tu’Narcuteth giggled, now in the form of an octopus, leaking syrupy mucus onto the board, “Gives me the creeps. And I hate having the creeps. All of them talk to me, you know.”

“I suppose I can understand your motivation.” Surthath groaned, “Boredom, or a whim. For the embodiment of madness, you sure are predictable.”

“Predictable...?” Tu’Narcuteth gasped, “How dare you.”

The Old One, in octopus form, lifted his tentacles and sprayed ink, and Surthath wiped the substance off of his lap where it’d landed, “Wonderful.”

Don’Yoku doubled over as a wave of nausea wracked his body, forcing him to vomit.

He accepted the discomfort, indeed, reveled in it, in order to ease his frustration, staring blankly at the steaming bile. He grimaced, and not at the loss of his meal. He could have slaughtered that mad little Djinn and her Gnome allies had his mistress not returned him. All it would have taken was a small burst of God Death’s true, unfettered power.

“Approach me...” the Vampyre’s cold, phantom voice demanded in his mind, and Don’Yoku obeyed, walking through the undercroft of their new lair.

Another Carthspirian City, this one had not been as fortunate against the Renmei Keiji and had fallen within an hour. Collapsed structures surrounded him, their stone walls blackened. Bones peaked from the ruins; a femur here, a skull fragment there.

“We who witness the end rejoice in jubilance, for madness ends with it.” he said to the bones, picking his way through the necropolis from its point of entry, no doubt as the matriarch had intended as punishment for his failure.

The central building of the city had once been a massive theatre and attendance hall, where Carthspirian wizards would convene before the masses to discuss key issues. It served a much different purpose now.

As he passed through a large set of double-doors, he found not rows upon rows of seats and tables but instead a vast emptiness. But that emptiness was deceiving; fine as strands of hair, threads reached end to end, woven round each other and separating in a complex but uniform radial knot formation. A spider’s web.

As he approached, those strands vibrated, agitated by his presence. Levitating forward, Don’Yoku bypassed them with the utmost caution, and soon they began to glow red, illuminating the chamber. Thicker and thicker the strands became towards the center, until he saw a secondary set near the ceiling, upon which were clung many large, egg-shaped objects. Cocoons; the matriarch’s feedings, as well as a few new experimental subjects.

And at the heart of the web dangled a much larger cocoon, containing something far more lively...

“Lady Senbotsu.” Don’Yoku said softly, kneeling while maintaining his levitation, and the cocoon writhed, agitated.

“You have failed me, lesser creature.” the Matriarch replied icily, lowering herself to his level but not emerging. It was a good sign.

“Three cities lay dead thanks to your efforts.”

Lady Senbotsu paused, then, “...But now you have failed. I do not tolerate failure. Perhaps my efforts would be better spent finding a new champion, the better that you may feed my subjects. They are...discontent.”

Without hesitation Don’Yoku withdrew a tanto and presented it to his mistress, “If you command it, I will gladly end my life.”

It was a lie, of course. He had no intention of dying before all the Veil. But Senbotsu was not in his head, only God Death. And God Death would not betray his duplicity.

“No...” Lady Senbotsu replied wearily, “My experiment is nearly concluded. When it is, I want you to seek out the child of Surthath that has shown herself. You may yet prove useful to me ere your soul enters the void. Now be gone.”

It was time.

Suizei righted his hair, washed his face, shaving the irregular stubble that had yet to grow into a proper beard, rubbed his eyes free of crust, and then splashed them for good measure.

Toweling off, he ate a few mentha leaves, which left an aftertaste and fragrance that most found pleasant. Then again, there would be many non-humans in attendance, so who knew what smells they preferred.

He then donned a white robe and a black haori with the Imperial Kamon embroidered on its back in gold thread, as well as a jingasa hat made of woven rice straw. It was plain but finely made, with a round and nearly flat surface that shaded his head and neck and gently sloped towards its central point.

In addition to his coin collection, to which Itaku’s specimen would join, he possessed a wide assortment of headwear, including warrior’s helmets and hats, plumed abominations from the other end of the world, and others frankly too outlandish or silly to consider wearing at all.

Suizei kept them anyway; what was a person if not a collection of useless trinkets?

Chokuto, his powerfully enchanted naginata, was far too unwieldy to take to court, so he belted on a quality wakizashi instead. The sake had done wonders, though he’d been careful not to imbibe too much. It would be disgraceful for him to appear drunk.

Eight soldiers, all flesh and blood Humans, arranged themselves in a three-by-three square around him as he left his room, immediately suffocating him with their body heat.

He was marched through the cubical Royal Palace and its damnable moving corridors and rooms, having to double back to reach the audience chamber before the structure properly re-assembled itself. It was a wonder the thing didn’t keep everyone awake at night.

The audience chamber was much as he remembered it, with twin waterfalls carrying flower petals, and floors of white marble. All those within bowed low.

He smiled despite himself; Suizei didn’t think the chamber had ever known such a...varied...attendance before. He saw creatures with black skin and runes of blue fire. He saw green elves with bark for skin. And he saw three different kinds of feathered, horned snake-people, with smooth skin of silver, dull red, and light blue. The last of which held a sword; his father’s sword.

Over forty soldiers also filled the room, as well as a dozen minor generals and seven major generals, as well as over a dozen counselors and statesman. But they didn’t hold his attention, nor did the woman with the sword, and he gave the other aliens only passive interest. His eyes were solely fixed upon Itaku.

“Lord Suizei...” Commander Itaku said solemnly as he approached, “Son of Mikoto and Isukeyorihime. Step forward.”

He kept his face akin to implacable granite, as he had learned to do only through diligent practice, advancing within four paces before standing at rigid attention.

“We find ourselves in an event unprecedented. For the first time in recorded history a Hitorigami has been slain in violence. Our nation has been shamed. I...my lord, have been shamed. Though his killer was brought to justice, a void has been created in this nation’s heart. I, as Commander of the Karyudo Kisai and your humble servant, ask you to fill that void, and take your rightful place as his ascendant.”

“I, for my part, have a sword to present to you, Lord Suizei.” the one who could only be Kaileena Kazeatari, added, approaching with her head lowered. He had expected the proclaimed champion of the land to look more imposing; he towered over her at a mere five-foot-six. But she was more exotic than fierce. She wore many golden rings, a slim, bright gown, and an embroidered brown cloak.

As she came within five paces she fell to two knees, the weapon presented with outstretched arms.

“I am no lord.” Suizei replied bluntly, “But it is my duty to accept this sword, as you have failed to protect my predecessor.”

His Human subordinates shuffled uneasily, and one of the black skinned creatures, a brute with a war-kilt the color of blood, growled deep in his throat. Kaileena, against protocol, locked eyes with him.

He immediately hated looking into those piercing, penetrating eyes. It was as if she’d learned his innermost thoughts and fears by no more than a passing glance. He, to his effort, detected a weary sadness, and a deep reserve of empathy, as if she outwardly said to him, “I know your grief, and understand it.”

Nodding, Kaileena added, “Indeed. That day was no victory in my eyes, for this land lost its finest hero. But I think also that you will match, and perhaps surpass, Mikoto, our beloved Hitorigami before you.”

She was saying that for the audience, not for him, so he played along, “It is my responsibility to take command, and to, yes, surpass my father. I will complete this foul war with the Skraul. I will annihilate all foreign influences...”

(he paused for effect, seeing the uneasy expressions on certain faces)

“...save those that have proven themselves friends and allies. The Silkrit will continue to integrate with the Central District with my blessings until such a time that they harm citizens of this land. Lord Kiromichi will submit to my rule or be banished, and the pirate fleets will bow to my will. Teikoku will know peace and prosperity once again. I will accept that sword, and the responsibility it represents, Kaileena.”

Taking Father’s Heikiku cemented his claim, and sealed his fate. With its weight in his hand, Suizei felt some of his uncertainty melt away, as if its latent magicka had somehow flowed into his body, strengthening it.

He stood tall and proud, bidding Kaileena rise, then turning to the rest of the assembly, “For no force holds jurisdiction over me, I hereby name myself Lord Hitorigami of Teikoku. I pledge my honor, my wisdom, and if need be, my blood, to the protection, freedom, and stability of this land. I pledge my service to every citizen of Teikoku, be them human or otherwise..”

(some of the generals and counselors scowled at that)

“...and demand their service in kind.”

He looked back to Itaku, and smiled, “Since you have all already looked upon my face, I see no need for that throne there. I will take a simple seat from henceforth, beside other seats for those attending.”

Gasps rose from some of the human attendants, but Itaku simply bowed, “A seat then. Bring it forth.”

Two of the soldiers were separated from the group, and they brought a chair from the outside, over to the foot of the stairs, where he calmly sat upon it.

“I see no reason to delay my first edicts. Itaku, I name you temporary Lord of the Central District, and task you with locating the remaining Skraul. Hunt them down and kill them all.”

Hardly a surprise; Itaku had not been in active combat lately, but had proven himself an able statesman, organizing the Te Fukushu and Karyudo Kisai alike. He would make a fine lord until one of Minamoto’s sons took the seat or a worthy soul married his eldest daughter.

“Shirudo...” Suizei said, waiting for the snake-man to step forward, as he had never seen him before. He turned out to be the one with the layered cloak and armor and the dark splotches across his skin. The other, the one with the tunic, red skin, and trident, looked to him quizzically, but he ignored them.

“Shirudo...you have done well to integrate your people in my lands, but they are my lands. You and your kin will abide by my laws.”

Shirudo nodded, bowing, “Save the enslavement of enchanters. That I will not tolerate. We do not have enchanters among our kin, save Kaileena and those in Surthath’s realm, but I will not see any persecuted if magickal abilities are developed in the future.”

“Then it will be the Te Fukushu, and not the Karyudo Kisai, that will bear the responsibility in dealing with them.”

“Yes, my Hitorigami”.

“Good.” Shizui said pleased, “Then we have an understanding. Next in line, I must consider the Renmei Kisai, the enchanters of this land. Shirudo...I would ask the Te Fukushu to journey up to the enchanter’s fortress and see exactly what is happening there. With Lord Tetsyyubo revealed as a traitor, I fear what might have happened to the enchanters, as well as any of the remote villages in the North District.”

He looked at them sternly, “Comb those lands, ferret out any additional traitors, and I will name you Lord of the North District, wherein your people may also settle. This will also place the Renmei Kisai Enchanters under your jurisdiction. Is this acceptable?”

The entire chamber exploded in angered voices, his Human subordinates shouting either in horrified disbelief or frothing with rage.

“Outrage! Never once in the history of this land has an outlander been named Lord!” one of them snarled, rising to his feet.

“General Nobuyuki...” Suizei replied dryly, having memorized every Human noble in the land in the three day ride to the capital, “I do protest. Lord Tetsyyubo was a Skraul. Would Shirudo not be an improvement in all areas to Byo’Ku?”

General Nobuyuki was a military leader through and through, in spite of his periodic impertinence towards higher authority. He might have been a man Suizei could have respected, were it not for his fundamentalist ideals and supreme dedication to the idea of a bland, homogenized Teikoku.

“That was not known to any of us.” Nobuyuki protested, “What you suggest is the willing bestowal of lordship onto an outsider. Worse, a non-Human, prone to guerrilla warfare and assassination! See reason, my Hitorigami, I beg you. War is seldom a time to make such rash decisions, especially a war as foreboding and perilous as this.”

Suizei smiled grimly, “Last I checked you carried a fine stock of assassins in your court, and fought with similar tactics in skirmishes with the Pirate Lords decades ago. Is it so horrible that our friend here; a trusted ally who has considerable military assets and a civilian presence in our lands, be given the full opportunity to benefit this land, our land, that we have lawfully given him a piece of as a reward for his people’s valor? What would you say about refusing the aid of a viable and friendly ally, when your own family did much to facilitate our allegiance with the Pirate Lords, and, more importantly, their weapons, especially during the long period of peacetime after The Reclamation...?”

Stunned, the man returned to a kneeling position. Humbled, perhaps, but that one would be a problem. Suizei had been ruler for a grand total of minutes, but he had been trained, as had his siblings, to recognize and react to those with unfulfilled ambition.

General Nobuyuki, he remembered from the description that had followed that name, had tried on two occasions some years prior to force Lord Kiromichi to retire, most likely so he could seize the lordship of the West District and the wealth that it represented. What would be the most effective thing that he could do to set the man off balance?

“But you are right, my dear friend...” Suizei continued, watching Nobuyuki’s face pinch with confusion, “It is only right that an established figure in the land claim a position of lordship. I declare you Lord of the West District, with all the responsibilities of restoring it to its former glory, at least until Kiromichi bends knee once more to the throne of Teikoku.”

Suizei offered no telling expression, but inside he felt a surge of wicked glee as the general’s face burned bright red; half-destroyed as it was, lordship over the West District would sap much of his family’s prominent wealth and would occupy the entirety of his time for the rest of his days.

And there was the unspoken possibility that Kiromichi would not take kindly to his presence there. Who knew what might happen if the now former Lord of the West District decided to...take matters into his own hands and seek retribution on an old rival?

Well...Suizei had given the man what he’d wanted, just not at the opportune time or under the opportune conditions.

“Well then...” Suizei pondered, scratching his chin, “It seems we are nearly finished. Itaku will govern the Central District, Shirudo the North, Nobuyuki the West. All that remains is the South District. Hmmm... Ahh, yes, I think I know. Yokai has a rather troubling presence there; the Kagemusha, I think, due to the gross incompetence of its previous ruler...”

(it was normally in poor taste to insult the dead, but Suizei knew that not a soul in that room would shed a tear for Lord Takauji)

“...It only makes sense that someone who understands, and indeed, has defeated and successfully redirected Yokai’s efforts for the good of the land, should see to the assimilation of the rogue enchanter’s Kagemusha. Kaileena...by my right as Hitorigami I declare you Lord of the South District.”

If Shirudo’s Lordship had upset the Human presence in the room, Kaileena’s set them in an uproar. The woman herself blanched in genuine surprise, the first expression he clearly identified since meeting her. The others were hardly so uniform or controlled in their emotions.

“She is an Enchanter!”

“She is an outsider!”

“She is a non-Human!”

“She is a woman!”

That last one seemed to sum up their protests; never before had a woman held a seat of power in Teikoku. Commonly women were considered weak and inferior as warriors and statesmen, relegated to gentler circles of position.

“You forget...!” he interrupted them, “That Kaileena is a valid noble already, unlike Shirudo, sired by Master Lenao. Also, you forget that my father pardoned her. And, more importantly, you forget she has not only slain two matriarchs but is also now one of the most powerful beings in the land thanks to her Phoenix Stone and her own cleverness.”

He scowled, “I would see that cleverness put to use in repairing and militarizing the South District, where a minor Skraul presence has been identified. I will not see a second rise of vampyres due to negligence; each of my new vassals must promptly and completely eradicate all traces of our enemy in their districts. I know not where the bulk of their armies have gone after Byo’Ku’s death, but I will have this nation ready for them if they return.”

“Normally, my Hitorigami...” and again his generals and statesmen scowled at the breach of tradition at Kaileena speaking first, though, upon reflection, Nobuyuki’s interruptions and their own had gone tactfully unnoticed, “I would be forced to refuse the position, for I am about to travel to my ancestral home of Moonshadow, but with my newfound powers...I think I have deduced a solution.”

At that, a wave of tremulous, shifting energies the color of a rosy dawn emanated from her body, and as those in the chamber, Suizei included, watched with stunned silence, the energies separated from her body and coalesced into a vague representation of herself.

Molded in what looked like clay, the construct (a homunculus?) looked like an unfinished sculpture, nonetheless perfectly duplicating her appearance save for its slate gray color, pliable consistency, and a circle of runes upon its forehead.

Kaileena’s skin rippled as the last of the energies left her, her veins glowing like molten ore, and her right eyelid twitched. Lest he was mistaken, some of the skin on her left shoulder flaked off and burned to ash, though she made no outward acknowledgement of this.

“With this construct.” Kaileena explained after collecting herself, “I can facilitate my duties as Lord of the South District, all the while undertaking my pilgrimage. As Lord I hereby vow to prepare and reinforce the villages of the South District. However, as of this moment I deny my new subordinates the right to conscript men and women into service against their will, as well as the Karyudo Kisai or anyone else’s right to abduct and enslave new enchanters in my realm. I will personally see to their education and adherence to the law.”

Then, “Also, I deny entrance to my lands to anyone who associates with pirates or follows their code. I deny them any luxuries or privileges, and I will arrest anyone who violates the laws I will uphold; do not kill, do not rape, do not steal, do not provide false witness, do not vandalize, and education for the young is mandatory. As for all others, such as Takauji’s unnecessary taxation of the poor or the rejection of immigration of Silkrit, I immediately repeal. All who obey my laws will be welcome in my lands.”

Nodding, Suizei fully anticipated the next protest, and was ready when someone blurted, “Kaileena is immortal. It is not right for a Lord to rule eternally.”

“And right you are!” the Hitorigami proclaimed, “After the expected maximum span of a Human lifetime, let us say...eighty years, we will review her services to this land and put her continued candidacy to common vote by the people...”

“...Now then, I think we are done here. I declare this session ended. My newest vassals, I suggest you immediately see to your appointed duties.”

“What do you think of him?” Kaileena asked Arteth as they lounged in their room in Hitorigami City; a fine suite offered by Itaku as an apology for her continued attendance.

Shrugging, Arteth set aside the other half of the pomegranate he’d been eating, “He hides deep insecurities, but that is to be expected. Moreover, he hides them well, and does not let them affect his decisions. His authorization of the continued Silkrit presence validates that. He will be a viable ally to us.”

Nodding, Kaileena sighed as another burst of inexplicable adrenaline filled her; a side effect of the increasingly erratic pulses from the Phoenix Stone.

Arteth siphoned most of the roiling energies so they didn’t forcefully burst from her like they had earlier, and she hissed, “Why does that keep happening? The Phoenix Stone shouldn’t behave in this manner.”

It had been happening since her synthetic rebirth and the stone’s creation; the Phoenix Stone was not only fully restoring the energies she had spent in battle, it had actually grown in power substantially since that time. It took much of her mental discipline to control and harness its power, and randomly, odd spikes of that power would force the energy literally right out of her body!

Without her attention those flakes of skin earlier would have been a large portion of her arm, and the release would not have been static but an uncontrolled detonation that would have leveled the wall beside her. What would the new Hitorigami have thought of her after that?!

“Will it stop?” she wondered aloud, “Or will it grow infinitely. How could I possibly contain the power that it would output after a thousand years at this rate. Or a million? A billion? Will I outlive the Veil itself, nearly as ancient as time, or will its power consume me and kill me just as surely as the Eternal Return?”

“You cheated death.” Arteth reminded her, “You will learn to control the stone. We just need to experiment a bit with dampening its increasing potency, or more gently releasing excess power.”

“At the very least.” Kaileena decided, “I can create an enchantment that will funnel power to each of my magickal trinkets, as well as your sword. That should buy some time.”

“See...” Arteth teased, drawing her in, “How much easier it is now that you have defeated the Eternal Return. I am, and continue to be, very proud of how you have grown.”

“Just once I would like you to be disappointed.” Kaileena replied smarmily, “All of this repetition blunts the words, methinks.”

She paused for a time, collecting herself, then added, “Husband, there is something I would like you to do for me.”

Thoughtful, Arteth nodded, bidding her continue, and she sighed, “If anything were to...happen to me; if I were to die, against the odds I have created by mere happenstance, there is something I want you to do.”

Shifting uncomfortably, Arteth nodded again, frowning, so she continued, “I left something on the mantle in the Iron Tower, something very important. A small jewelry box, with something inside it...I...”

She paused, equally uncomfortable, “...I would need you to open that box. It is sealed from sight by powerful reality-bending illusions, and protected by a series of traps that only you can bypass. It might...become helpful to both of us.”

Stretching out on the bed, a rather large affair to accommodate Arteth, Kaileena sighed, “That will be an issue for another time. Fear not, since I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. Not when I have brushed against death’s door for a second time. It’s just something I wanted you to know. In any case, my body may not require sleep anymore, but my mind certainly does. I want to go to bed.”

“Should I carry in the gifts from outside?” Arteth asked, troubled, as she began to drift, “It would appear rude to let them linger. Sure.”

After slaying Byo’Ku, many citizens of Teikoku, particularly in Hitorigami City, had insisted on paying her tribute. Over the last few days the doors outside both the Iron Tower near Kazeatari and their temporary room in the capital had been buried under an avalanche of material gifts, from sake, to jewelry and clothing, to weapons, armor, and other products of the various fine craftsmen of the land.

Most of it had been donated to aid the refugees from the West District, but it would appear rude to go to sleep without making a show of collecting their trinkets.

Arteth rose from bed, and with little else to do Kaileena followed him to the door, curious. As it opened, a commoner was standing outside, his hand raised to knock, and he nearly bolted with fright.

He was a small man, probably in his late forties, with a weathered, serious face, graying hair, and a darker complexion. His clothing was threadbare but well maintained, and there was an odd animal musk overwhelming his natural scent. He held some sort of box with holes punched in it.

“Yes, ummmm. Hello, Arteth, Prince of Moonshadow. And Kaileena, Lord of the South District. I, um-”

“No need to stand on ceremony.” she chided gently, suppressing mirth at his unease, “You wanted to speak to us?”

“To speak to you...Kaileena, Lord- I mean, Kaileena. I was sent to deliver an offering from my employer at the kennels here in Hitorigami City, before you departed. In breaking the siege of Shimobashira Inaka you saved his cousin and two nephews from the Skraul, so he wanted you to have his finest.”

Opening the box from a side trap facing away, he pulled out something fuzzy and squirming. Kaileena recognized it as a dog; they were uncommon but she’d seen a few in Kazeatari Inaka...but it was different from those. Even as a puppy, it was very large.

It had very fine but soft fur, black along its spine and the upper portion of its head above the bridge of the nose, and stark white along the belly, legs, under its bushy tail, and in a ring around its triangular, pointy ears.

“What is it?” she asked, intrigued, and as he handed it to her on insistence, he said, “Sakhalin Husky. A very rare breed nowadays. They used to pull sleds in the north, but modern technology and enchantments have rendered them obsolete. This is finest pup of the litter, would have been destined to be the alpha of the pack. He doesn’t have a name yet, so my employer left it to you to decide. He will be a fine mastiff one day, strong and loyal. Now that you have him, I must go. Thank you again, Kaileena.”

With that he practically charged down the hallway and to the stairs, minding the other tributes, leaving Kaileena holding the pup.

Not at all distressed by this, the pup panted heavily in her arms, already venting enough heat to make her uncomfortable holding him. Setting him down, Kaileena shrugged, “I’d never considered having a dog before. During my youth it seemed an unattainable luxury. I think I like the idea.”

Kneeling down to pat him on the forehead, she considered for a time, then, “I cannot think of a proper name for you...but I name you Shinabi after a kind and noble man, whose strength and courage far exceeded my own. Bear it well.”

Uncomprehending, Shinabi rolled on his belly, and she scratched him idly, “Well, come on in then. I’m sure the servants will be pleasantly surprised by me ringing for them for a change, and they will be able to fetch everything we’ll need for you.”

Arteth sat in his chair and contemplated, not yet tired enough to rest. Kaileena, under no such compulsion, lay curled up with the puppy, sound asleep, its head resting comfortably against her breasts. Despite himself, he felt a tinge of envy towards the beast.

But other matters required his attention; chiefly, the matter of Kaileena’s power. He was physically incapable of speaking direct falsehood, but he had nonetheless grossly misrepresented the direness of the issue in their conversation earlier. That last pulse, accumulative, had nearly recharged his body to full capacity as it has not been since his fall from grace. That kind of energy was inconceivable in a mortal...

But Kaileena was no longer a mortal, was she? As powerful as one of his kin now, she had far surpassed any mortal Magi he’d ever heard of.

And her strength was still growing... In time she could well surpass him. That seemed impossible, but there it was. What had Kaileena done? What had Surthath done?

“Is this your grand scheme, Father...” Arteth pondered, his eyes never leaving his wife, “A powerful champion to be true, but this far more straightforward than any of your other efforts.”

A terrible possibility occurred to him, “She is the decoy for something else you plan, something you do not want the Dread Hammer to notice? If you have set her up to experience so much pain, only to fall now...I swear...”

Nu meditated in her favorite place. Favorite, yes. Yes, yes.

A large stream broke through the tunnel wall above and trickled down a vertical sheet of smooth rock, before falling into a deep pool that reached below. A flat sheet of sandstone, very odd in a shale-dominated region, rested beside it, upon which she sat, as was her prerogative.

Mushrooms grew in the soft earth; bright orange with brown splotches, as did short, stumpy trees with coiling leaves. Snakes and small rodents were in abundance, as were the carnivorous flies and their bane; the fly-trap plants, which had smiling toothy faces.

Though there was usually so much noise, when she sat on that sheet of stone all she could hear was the waterfall. It was so soothing. Yes, Yes.

The silence certainly helped, because her friends were not very quiet at all. No, no.

“I want to eat more nightshade petals...” cried Worm, the trickier of the lot. He was an aspect of decay, one of her conjured ethereal spirits, though he often refused her call when she did not listen to him enough. He was always talking...though not always with words. No, no.

“Nightshade gives Nu indigestion.” said Bear, her aspect of vigor, “Try some honey instead.”

“Fools!” snapped Fox, her aspect of cunning, who often confused her with his riddles, “Neither flower nor flesh, the fulfilling meat of the forest resides within mighty armor, and gives rise to towering trees. That is the meal for us.”

“Please be quiet...” Nu moaned, “...Loud noises are bad here. Bad, bad. It makes the trees sad. Sad, sad. I just want to rest awhile. Breakfast can wait.”

“I can see well enough that you are hungry.” retorted Eagle, her aspect of perception, “Surely, you would not deny us our meal as well. I hear that is a cruel thing to do.”

Nu sighed, “You all are so mean to me. Fine...but I choose since I am the one with the body. And I say smelly mushrooms, since they are right there. Yes, yes.”

Worm was pleased, feasting upon that which rose from decay, but the rest were upset. Careful to slice off the gills, for they were poisonous, Nu collected a small pile, then started eating. Smelly. Tasty. Tasty, tasty, yes. Yes, yes.

As she did, the sugars and fats instantly converted into energy, which was then fed to her aspect spirits, forcing her to eat far more than she should have been able. It made her feel fat, like a bubble... A round, fat bubble.

“I am pleased.” Worm said delightedly, “I will give you more poison and fungus-based spells to use. You will be able to make that Human whelp weep bloody tears as the fluids are sapped from his ruined body.”

“I am not pleased.” said bear, “But I will eat just about anything when I have to. I will give you some spells that defend and fortify. You will be able to turn your flesh to hardened bark, or give that ability to another, for a short time. Also, I will absorb some of the attacks directed at you. But for the rest, suffer without.”

“A token for a token.” said Fox dejectedly, “For one not given, like will be as like. Charity is the realm of the poor, and my wealth is boundless.”

“I feel my power, and hold it close.” said Eagle, “You can see where their blessings get you, for mine I withhold.”

Nu shrugged and accepted what she could. It was almost impossible to please all four of her spirits at once, for their tastes were fickle and varied. No, No. Yes, yes.

Soon, however, she would have to appease Eagle and Fox, for she needed spells that could find Don’Yoku and whoever he served, as well as unique spells that would outsmart them both.

Father was counting on her, and it pained her to see him frown. Yes, yes. He was always frowning lately. Sad, sad.

For now, if the Human came back, she would make him regret it. Worm’s blessings were deadly. Yes, yes.

A loud noise woke her, immediately souring her already depleting enthusiasm for the day.

Vala shook herself free of the loose sediment she’d buried herself in. The sandy forests of the West District had provided her with only a small island of shade, far less than she’d expected. And it was still mid-day; a risky venture even had she fed minutes prior.

The sound repeated; a scream, high pitched and somehow small sounding. A girl-child, perhaps.

“Does no one in this realm keep an eye on their young?” she groaned, trying to pinpoint the scream’s possible direction. It came from an area that was bathed in sunlight.

“If I go out in that now...” she thought aloud, “I’ll end up seared halfway to the bone in no time. What to do?”

The scream repeated, further away, and it brought a jumble of confusing emotions to the surface. She remembered her own daughter’s telepathic screams as the matriarchs had killed her, felt that horrible emptiness surge through her all over again. Would this girl’s mother feel the same way?

“I should berate myself for even having to consider, but that will have to wait.” she said tersely, throwing on her cloak and scarf and bolting into the blinding light.

“Stupid little bitch!” Furin screamed as the Human child bolted into an open clearing. Commanding Toshisha, he created a cloud of floating ice crystals about his person which would reflect ambient sunlight. With his two Koriko bodyguards he’d butchered an entire household, but still he hungered. No chance would he let his dessert escape.

Without further preamble he crossed into the light, his slaves following suit. The wide stretch in the forest, due to a shallow but wide pond fed by a stream, was quite large, and thus he spotted his prey easily. She was nearly to the other side, at a complete stop. Why?

Squinting as he ran, Furin saw another figure approaching from the opposite end, cloaked and armed. He laughed as he smelled the musk of another vampyre; an Orc half-blood. Well, a new slave would be nice, but that girl was his!

Vala simply could not believe it, shielding her eyes from the sun. Behind the girl, gaining speed, was the arbiter from before, and he was holding Toshisha!

Immediately she launched a probing spear of telepathic force, stopping him in his tracks. The Koriko had no such inhibitions. Ignoring the child to the side as she passed it, Vala leaped with her blade in tow, landing a double-knee to the first one’s throat, cracking its chitin shell.

Striking the other one, not with steel but with telepathy, she found its mind completely unresponsive. The bastard had completely destroyed even their most basic higher functions; they were thralls that acted and reacted only when commanded. That second Koriko clubbed her in midair, blasting the air from her lungs.

Landing on her feet, Vala assumed her kendo stance, ducked under the next swing, this one with the bladed end of the Koriko’s larger arm, jumped, and delivered a mid-air stroke to its shoulder, bloodying it. Motes of color swam in her vision; indicative of the damage the sun was causing to her eyes. A few more minutes and she might go blind.

Pure instinct forced her head down, for she was unable to place it just as Toshisha’s double-edged tip crossed the space she predicted it would, and impaled the Koriko through its brain.

Cursing, Vala slipped around the dying slave’s body, using it as a shield while she constructed a fist-sized bubble of shifting telekinetic energies, which would (hopefully) block another such attack.

The first Koriko, undaunted, charged her, and she used her telepathy to control its bladed arms and sink them into the knee joints of its own first set of legs. Since the beast had no active brain function, where was no will to contest the limited possession. A good thing to remember...

“Kogoeji-ni...” the pureblood said behind her, elated, “What a delightful surprise.”

Turning away from the sun, enraged, Vala locked eyes with the filthy thief, then held back a grimace as she saw him holding the child by the neck. She struggled feebly in his grip, her eyes wide with pain and fear. She was crying, her long dark brown locks bunching around her face.

“You may not think that in a few moments.” she replied, assuming an offensive posture.

“Ah, ah.” he replied, squeezing the child’s neck, which turned her scream to a wet gurgle.

“What?” Vala bluffed, “Are you going to threaten me with the waste of a morsel?”

The pureblood’s smile widened.

“Now now, Matriarch..." he cooed, “I know all about your story. I know what brought you here, before me, was not Toshisha, but this feeble little runt. You could not have known the weapon was here...and you would not endure this light in order to feed a few hours early. You just lost yourself to your pathetic sense of frustrated motherhood. You couldn’t bear to see this thing destroyed.”

“Fair enough...” Vala conceded, for she’d decided on a different argument while she readied a mental probe.

“No mindbreaking.” the pureblood snapped, “Or I break its neck. It means nothing at all to me.”

A few moments stretched, then Vala verbally prodded, “I see you tamed my blade, chattel...”

She knew the insult would take, and was rewarded by his eyelid twitching.

“...and yet with all that power, you threaten a little Human to defeat me. I see that your manner of thinking in no way emulates a prime. A prime would jump at the chance to rip me to shreds. But a lowly chattel would cower behind a hostage.”

She was rewarded by incredulous anger, followed by a veiled expression as he tried and failed to bottle his unruly emotions. Males...amusing, but predictable.

“Furin.” the male replied icily, “Now, when I send you to the void, you will know the name of he who put you there.”

“Furin?” Vala asked, indulging herself, “Wind Chime? Hah! A laughing stock I would be if I allowed one with such a name to kill me. Do your worst, pretender!”

Furin threw the child aside, roaring a great battle cry, Toshisha spinning in a wild arc. As she knew her blade to attack from multiple angles, Vala backpedaled, blocking the first strike in such a way that the links would not easily wrap around her blade.

She was rewarded as the tip bounced off the guard of her katana and soared high. Already anticipating the descending arc, she rushed forward, stabbing at Furin’s mind with a flurry of chaotic, disorganized sensations and images. His concentration wavered, and she cut across his chest with her weapon. Only to have it bounce off a surface sturdier than iron.

“Hardened flesh.” she cursed silently, “I should have thought of that. Physical attacks will be useless, then.”

Changing tactics, she dashed aside, attempting to put as much distance between her and her prey as possible.

“Where are you going, Matriarch?!” Furin asked derisively, “Why run from a “pretender”? Does not the mighty Kogoeji-ni have the courage to face me?”

Ignoring the jibe, Vala struck again and again with her mindbreaking, trying to pierce the male’s mental defenses. It was not encouraging; though she didn’t understand why, Toshisha was strengthening his mental abilities.

Soon he began to attack in kind, and as she rolled and dodged Toshisha’s attacks, she likewise had to shield herself from his hostile telepathy. The girl-child dashed back into the forest, but this was a problem that needed tending first.

Ducking behind a tree, then using it as a blind spot, Vala climbed up its length, resting near its peak. She knew Furin would track her scent, so she didn’t use its branches as cover. Hurling her sword downward, Vala lashed out when she heard him curse with surprise when the weapon rebounded off his hardened skin, and pierced through the momentary lapse in his mental defenses.

There, she laid her trap...

Furin coiled Toshisha to deflect the oncoming blow, then launched it out straight as the bitch sprang from her hiding place. She breached his mental defenses, but only for a moment.

With a small amount of his strength he repaired that breach, shutting her out before she could do any real harm. He did this all the while curling Toshisha’s segments as its former wielder dodged the straightforward impaling lunge.

He smiled as its segments, razor sharp, sheared off a patch of armor and flesh as they scraped against her shoulder. Toshisha drank in her blood, and fed him back what little he’d spent.

“Oh the delight I will find when I drink in your power.” he noted with glee, winding Toshisha’s tip back around, inside of her blind spot.

She rolled under it, planted her feet as she landed, and reclaimed her pitiful sword, her flesh smoking.

“Why do you bother to wield such a toy against me?” he asked, retracting his whipblade to sword length.

“See for yourself.” Kogoeji-ni replied, and the smug, satisfied look on her face infuriated him. He thrust his blade out forward, and then to the side as she ducked back around into the trees.

Smiling, and thoroughly tired of this game, Furin retracted his weapon from a whip to a proper swinging weapon, toppling the tree in a single swipe. As it collapsed, Kogoeji-ni leaped off it, flinging her sword in front.

“The same trick won’t work.” he said, batting the projectile aside, then curving Toshisha’s tip back around on a path which would impale his enemy from behind.

Kogoeji-ni shifted mid-descent, clearly putting him in her descending trajectory. A foolish trick; he sped the blade’s descent with his own telekinesis in such a way that it would hit her before she landed atop him.

He laughed as its struck her, running her through the chest, then grimaced in pain. Kogoeji-ni’s body vanished as the blade struck her...and then suddenly, the blade was much closer, run through his own chest...

“What...how?” Furin gasped as Toshisha’s point wriggled impotently in his chest cavity.

Vala took full advantage of his shock, for he was no longer focusing on his mental defenses. Telepathically severing the connections between him and Toshisha, she prevented its passive regeneration from affecting him, as well as bestowing any other abilities which might have saved him.

“When I initially breeched your defenses.” she explained to him as she circled around from behind, probing his mind, shutting off key synapses and thus permanently atrophying his limbs and organs, “I placed a subtle visual leech that altered your perspective of unit measurement. That was all.”

Seeing his dumbfounded and horrified expression, Vala sighed, laying a hand on his shoulder, “Stupid males... We all perceive what we see as measurements, though we hardly notice it at the time; a distance is three paces, or three bowshots, or three hand-breadths. I didn’t directly affect what you saw; to do so would have tipped you off to my duplicity. I simply distorted your perception of how you measure distances. Thus, the blade’s tip was far closer than you thought it was, as was I. When I simply leaped over you, the blade struck home, where it now rests near your heart.”

He moaned, horrified.

“Power in untrained hands is worthless; I have possessed and lost power so many times I have learned to make the most of what I have, even if it is very little, and thus, with only a little I can emerge victorious. Lesson learned...too late. Die well, “Wind Chime”.”

Decapitating him with her katana, Vala drank in his blood before his collapsing body could burn in the sun, and took hold of Toshisha’s familiar hilt. And felt a distinctly unfamiliar burst of painful cold.

Gasping, still burning from the damnable pinpricks of the sun’s light, she dropped the weapon, and it returned to its inert bone dagger state when it hit the ground.

“Toshisha...” Vala whispered, stunned, “Why do you fight me? Do you not remember my touch?”

The weapon offered no counsel, so she scooped it up with her scarf and dropped it in her pack.

Troubled, Vala sniffed the air, seeking out the girl-child.