Richard Tuttle - Army of the Dead

“Why bring him here?” asked Luggar. “The mages are better suited to extracting information from him.”

“The mages are just as likely to kill him in their enthusiasm to get information,” answered the premer. “They have certainly failed miserably with the past captives. I need to know where Angragar is, and I cannot wait any longer. The lad is quite possibly the best prospect we have captured. He will not be as worldly as the soldiers that we have interrogated.”

“I understand,” nodded General Luggar as two soldiers dragged Bakhai into the tent.

“Stop mishandling him,” scowled Premer Cardijja. “He is a guest here.”

The soldiers were taken by surprise by the premer’s orders. They helped Bakhai to his feet and then let go of his arms. They bowed curtly and backed out of the tent.

“Come have something to eat,” smiled the premer as he held out a plate of dried meat. “What is your name?”

“I am called Bakhai,” the lad said nervously as he reached for the food.

The premer watched the boy greedily swallow the food. He shook his head and smiled.

“Chew your food properly,” the premer said softly. “You can have more if you wish. I understand that you were being chased when my soldiers found you.”

Bakhai nodded exaggeratedly as he grabbed another piece of meat. “She was an evil spirit,” he volunteered.

“And why would an evil spirit chase you?” asked the premer.

“I do not know,” shrugged Bakhai. “I did nothing to offend her.”

“Where do you live?” the premer asked, trying a different tact.

“I live in the mountains,” answered Bakhai. “The forest is my home.”

“Do you know this land well?” asked Cardijja.

Bakhai nodded again as he chewed on another piece of meat. “Is there water?” he asked.

General Luggar filled a mug from the pitcher and handed it to Bakhai. The boy took the mug and smiled at the general. Luggar sighed with impatience.

“Have you heard of Angragar?” asked the premer.

“The lost city,” nodded Bakhai.

“Where is it?” asked Premer Cardijja.

Bakhai stared blankly at the premer as if he had asked a rhetorical question.

“You are wasting your time,” sighed General Luggar. “He knows nothing.”

Premer Cardijja glowered at the general and then quickly smiled at the lad. “Do you know where Angragar is?” the premer asked again.

“It is lost,” shrugged Bakhai as he gulped down some water. “That is why it is called the lost city.”

“Well I want to find it,” the premer said with a smile. “Perhaps you can tell me where not to look for it?”

Bakhai’s mind raced to figure out how he should answer the question. He realized that he had already determined that Cardijja did not know the location of Angragar, but he thought that there might be more that he could do while he had the ear of the premer.

“I know many places that it is not,” offered Bakhai. “Maybe that is why the evil spirit was chasing me,” he added with seemingly sudden understanding. “I tried going to a new place and she attacked without warning.”

“Oh?” Premer Cardijja responded with interest. “Is this new place around here?”

“Not here,” Bakhai shook his head exaggeratedly. “She chased me for many days. Many times I thought I had escaped from her, but always she came back.”

“Come and look at this map, Bakhai,” urged Cardijja. “Point to where you were exploring when she first chased you.”

Bakhai walked over to the map and studied it. He was amazed at the lack of detail on the map. He noted freshly drawn lines that had been added, but the land east of the mountains was an empty void. He quickly realized that the Motangans had no idea where they were heading. They were drawing the map as they went.

“Bakhai, does not understand the pictures,” the lad shrugged. He watched the premer sigh with disappointment. Bakhai smiled broadly and added, “I can show you the way.”

Premer Cardijja grinned with success as he turned and laid a hand gently on Bakhai’s shoulder.

“And so you shall,” smiled the premer. “Luggar, arrange for a mat to be brought in here. Bakhai will be staying with me.”

“Is that wise?” General Luggar said softly as Bakhai went to the other table and sampled some more food. “He may be just a boy, but he is not that young. His physical growth has certainly outpaced his mind, but you are foolish to dismiss a danger to your person. Let him sleep outside.”

Premer Cardijja turned and watched Bakhai closely. The lad appeared to be interested in nothing but the free food, still the general had a valid concern.

“Very well,” nodded Premer Cardijja. “Bakhai will sleep outside the tent, but I do not want him bullied by the soldiers. He is to have freedom of the camp, but he is not to be allowed to leave it. Only if he tries to leave are the soldiers to bother him. Is that clear?”

“Perfectly,” nodded General Luggar. “Do you really think that he can lead us to the lost city? He has admitted to not knowing where it is.”

“The elf was trying to kill him for some reason,” offered the premer. “It is said that the elves protected the ancient city of Angragar, yet there has been no record from our spies that any elves still existed here in Fakara. I think the lad stumbled onto something that he wasn’t supposed to, and the elves were trying to preserve their secret. In any event, we have nothing to lose. We are tasked to map this country and find Angragar. As long as he leads us further eastward, we have paid nothing for his information. I think it is worth the gamble. If something better comes along, I may change my mind, but for now I will follow Bakhai.”

The general nodded and left the tent to procure a sleeping mat for the lad. Bakhai dropped the air tunnel he had used to listen to the conversation. He reached forward with both hands and filled them with pieces of dried meat.

“You act like you have not eaten in days,” chuckled Premer Cardijja as he approached Bakhai. “Slow down or your stomach will ache.”

Lord Marshal Yenga led his troops through the town of Deep Bend, named for the way the Khadora River turned at a right angle at the base of the Bear Mountains. Just past the town of Deep Bend was Khadora’s largest mining operation. A huge tunnel led deep into the southernmost of the Bear Mountains. Hundreds of other tunnels dotted the side of the mountain, but it was the mammoth tunnel that was Yenga’s destination. He led the Torak army past the docks where massive barges were tied up. The barges were usually used to send ores downriver to Chantise and Khadoratung, but the mine was not in operation at the moment.

Yenga led the cavalry up the steep slope and into the mammoth tunnel. As they entered the mouth of the tunnel, they became momentarily blind, as only torches lighted the tunnel. After a few moments their eyes became accustomed to the dim light, and they proceeded onward. The tunnel emptied into a massive chamber with dozens of tunnels running out of it. Yenga paid no attention to the tunnels, but he grinned broadly at the assembled clans waiting for him. The Ragatha, Litari, and Sorgan clans were already assembled, along with the remnants of the Situ clan. They were all clans that were sworn directly to the Torak.

“At last,” greeted Lord Sevrin of the Ragatha clan. “I was beginning to wonder if you would miss the party.”

“Not a chance, grinned Yenga as he dismounted. “I took a side trip to gather more men.”

“Who else is coming?” asked Lord Shamino of the Sorgan clan.

“The Seth and Disina clans are right behind me,” replied Lord Marshal Yenga.