James Somers - The rise of Lucin

"And you think he might rebel against you?"

"Exactly. I need to eliminate him without raising suspicions among the Agonotti."

"But won't they get a new leader."

"They're so willing to follow whoever can give them what they want-I believe I can persuade them to follow me."

"So, you can have your cake and eat it too? Very nice for you, but if I execute this Agonotti leader for you then won't they in turn come after me?" Kale asked.

"Not if I appear to kill you first. You kill Dirge and I will pretend to avenge his death quickly in front of his people. The Agonotti will be more willing to follow me then and so they can get the food resources they need. Plus, the people will continue to look to me for the protection they need," Elam explained.

"And as for me?"

"I'll smuggle your supposedly dead body out on my shuttle," he said, pointing to the craft coming in for a landing about forty feet away. "And then we'll see about getting you to Castai on one of the ships I have at my disposal."

"A tidy plan," Kale said. "Where do I find this Agonotti?"

"All aboard." Elam smiled as he waved a gracious hand toward the shuttle settling down on the snow covered clearing.

Lucin was very pleased by the turn of events. This would be perfect. His brother Mithri, the Agonotti, had rejected him after their fall from Mithrium and now Lucin would use Kale's power to kill their current leader, Dirge. This Barudii simpleton, Elam, had no idea they were all actually connected. Revenge would be his and then he could dispatch Elam and use the boy to lead the Agonotti and his symbyte controlled humans back on Castai. The Eternal One will not keep me down!

The temperature had cooled off dramatically, after the sun went down. Tiet and Emil had grown weary, after a half days journey. The pace and the lack of food had made it more difficult, but Emil had gone hunting after spotting game nearby.

"Stay and build us a fire," the young Horva had said before bounding away through the foliage after his prey.

Sure enough, Emil returned within a half hour with some kind of large bird nearly his own size slung across his shoulder. He presented it happily as their dinner for the evening.

The fire's warmth soothed aching muscles and the smell of roasting flesh upon the embers whetted their appetites.

"Master Soone?"

"Yes, Emil?"

"How are you able to sense Kale, when I can't?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm not quite sure myself. I only know that I can. Maybe it's because he is my son. But whatever the reason, I'm glad."

"It's probably because you're so powerful."

"Well, I doubt that. Anyway, I've noticed that you're quite powerful as well. I have to admit I thought I would be looking out for you if we faced any trouble, but you certainly are your father's son. You don't need any minding at all."

Emil smiled as he thought of his father. Grod was a great leader and warrior; worthy of the high standing he had with King Tiet.

"It's taken some time to understand the way of using these abilities we have. I still don't understand how it all works," said Emil

"You're not alone in that. The Barudii have believed different things over the years as well. But we came to understand that it was simply a gift from the Eternal One."

"I read that some of the older Barudii once worshipped these abilities, likening themselves to gods," Emil said.

"That's true. Idolatry comes in many forms and that was one. They considered the energies that are tapped into as more than just a tool to be used, but as some impersonal god. Many Barudii mistook their own ambitions for the will of this god and followed their own hearts for good or bad, all the while claiming to be doing its will. They were even involved in a civil war amongst themselves for a time."

"What happened to them?"

"The Lord, Elithias, sent a prophet to the people during that time to warn them to turn from that deception. Many turned, but most were taken in a great plague sent by Elithias to destroy them."

"That wasn't very wise of them."

"The Eternal One gave them plenty of opportunity to turn, but instead they rose up against the king of that day because he followed the Lord's prophet. As I understand it, that's when my family entered the royal line, much later when a new king was chosen."

"That's great. But why do you suppose Elithias allowed your people to be wiped out by the Vorn."

"I don't know, Emil. Of course, not all of them were. I've been finding that out more and more, as the years go on."

"You mean Kale's uncle, the one he was named after?"

"Well yes, he and my father were both named Kale. But I didn't even know about my brother until he appeared in Baeth Periege and that wasn't on friendly terms, to say the least."

"Kale has told me the story."

"Then again, your father and I weren't friends until about that same time either," Tiet said.

"But now you are…and good friends."

Tiet smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. "Yes, very good friends."

The meat crackled on the spit that had been fashioned from a branch. Emil pulled it out of the flame and sniffed at the smoke rolling off of it.

"I can only hope Kale doesn't have an encounter with this Elam person," Tiet said.

"But Kale is so strong."

"He is, but this Elam is far too dangerous. He was working with those creatures that were attacking the civilians. He's got some sort of racket going on here, playing the two groups against one another for his own gain."

"Well, I know you only want to get Kale and escape, but do you suppose, maybe, Elithias would have us to stop this man?" Emil asked. "I mean, maybe, that's why we've been led here?"

Tiet looked into the fire and considered the possibility. Emil divided a portion of the meat to the king and let the words hang in the air.

Tiet wondered if Emil could be right. His faith had been tested before. Tiet had often wondered why the Eternal One had led him in the way he had gone-through the events he had faced. He had never ceased to wonder why his kingdom had come to ruin at the hands of the symbytes. All he could do was walk in faith and trust that Elithias was in control, as the prophets had written.

"We had better get a little sleep while we can." Tiet said. "I want to get back on the move before dawn."

"Yes, sir." Emil finished off the last bits of meat clinging to the bone in his hand. "I sure hope we can find him."

"So do I."

Within the catacombs of Eseras-jad, Dirge settled himself into his chair. He looked around as the other members of his ruling council did the same. Light shone from oil lamps in the corners of the rock hewn room and one sitting in the middle of the large round wooden table where they all sat. A musty odor hung in the room like a fog. The light cringed away from the very presence of those convened within the chamber. A council of the wicked was in session.

"Tonight, we move toward Odem, but I do not think we will be alone."

"What do you mean, Lord Dirge?" said one of the Agonotti.

"The off-worlders have been present at our last two cullings," Dirge said. "Their power is felt throughout the land-they are near."

"But what of Elam? Isn't this his responsibility?" said another. "He must keep with our bargain and kill these trespassers."

"I don't believe Elam has the power to do what he says anymore." Dirge said. "He has lost many of his own Guardian soldiers in the encounter with the man and boy in Sector City. And our spy at his headquarters has just reported even more casualties when Elam tried to take the boy that I first encountered outside of Briceton."

"Are we to abandon our food supply then? What can we do if we cannot depend upon Elam?"