Richard Tuttle - Elvangar

“I will travel to the mage school when I leave here,” offered Fisher. “Perhaps they can figure something out.”

“Good,” nodded the Emperor. “Any ideas on how we can combat the hellsouls? Rejji’s staff and the Sword of Torak appear to be the only weapons that can kill them.”

“I am working on it,” answered the spy.

“Alright,” replied Emperor Marak. “The group in my office is going with me to Angragar. I want to be kept current on what you discover. We can use Fardale to channel messages. Check in with them once a day.”

“Do you trust the elves?” asked Fisher. “That Caldal is one that I would watch.”

“He is headstrong,” shrugged the Emperor, “but I think his heart is in the right place. He is just trying to protect his people. I do not hold that against him.”

“You would be wise to be cautious with him,” warned Fisher. “If he thinks you mean harm to the elven people, he will strike without a second thought.”

“I suspect that Eltor would as well if they truly thought I was their enemy,” nodded the Emperor. “I hope to prove to them that I am not.”

“Keep Gunta and Halman close at all times,” advised Fisher. “I do not want to lose the Torak over some petty misunderstanding.”

“And I thought your concern was for me personally,” Emperor Marak chided sarcastically.

“It always is,” grinned the Torak spy, “but this is more important than even you now. The whole known world is riding on your shoulders, Marak. Always remember that your death means the death of thousands. Do not tempt fate.”

“I will try not to,” promised the Emperor. “I offer the same caution to you, my friend. I would not have been able to do what I have done without your help. Keep yourself healthy.”

Fisher nodded and opened the door for the Emperor. He would wait a respectable time before leaving the living quarters himself.

Emperor Marak reentered his office and walked to his desk. The chatter that had existed in the room died as he entered and everyone looked expectantly at him.

“Are there any questions about this journey?” asked the Emperor.

“When do we leave?” asked Eltor.

“We leave at first light,” answered Emperor Marak. “Anyone that needs to requisition weapons should do so today. We travel with only what we can carry on our horses. We will not have a pack train, so keep it light.”

There were no further questions and everyone left the room. Mistake and MistyTrail joined up with the elves as they walked down the stairs.

“Are you two alright with this plan?” asked Mistake. “You have been out of sorts lately.”

“We are,” smiled Eltor. “Please understand that this is hard on us. Our laws prohibit what we are doing now. We will be punished when we return to Elvangar.”

“No punishment can be as bad as what we saved you from in Motanga,” MistyTrail said as she locked eyes with Caldal.

Caldal frowned stubbornly for a moment and then nodded his head in agreement.

“I owe you my life,” he declared. “I know that I have acted rudely since arriving here. Eltor has already rebuked me for doing so, but I cannot wash away the years of training that I grew up with. I will try to behave. Correct me gently when you see me straying from your good graces.”

“I will try gently at first,” grinned MistyTrail. “I hope you are quick at adjusting. I would hate to have to beat some sense into you.”

“Your attempts at it could be fun,” chuckled Caldal in his first display of merriment since entering Khadora. “Perhaps we should practice this afternoon before we pack for the trip?”

The army encampment outside of the Sakovan city of Alamar spread for miles in every direction. Thousands of tents dotted the landscape, and wagons loaded with food spread through the camp like the veins of a leaf. Lyra halted her horse and sat silently for several moments absorbing the image.

“I am glad that we didn’t have to face this army during the war,” commented StarWind. “It is one thing to talk about twenty thousand men, but it is quite another to see them all gathered in one place.”

“How long will Alamar’s food last feeding so many?” asked HawkShadow.

“The armies will not be staying here for long,” answered the Star of Sakova. “The purpose of the meeting today is to send General Romero and General Didyk back to Okata. By the time they reach the city, the mages will have restored the fields there.”

“Can the generals be trusted?” asked HawkShadow. “They were our enemies not long ago.”

“I don’t know,” Lyra conceded, “but we have little choice in the matter. I asked General Manitow to keep them here until I spoke to them. I want a chance to impress upon them the need for solidarity. We must get ready to face Vand’s armies. We need the loyalty of these generals and their men.”

“I do not trust them,” interjected Goral.

Lyra smiled at the Sakovan giant. “I do not trust them either, Goral, but we still need them, and I will trust StarWind’s people to keep a close eye on them.”

“I will infiltrate spies into their camps,” promised the Sakovan spymaster. “If the generals become treasonous, I will know about it.”

“I have faith in you, StarWind,” smiled the Star of Sakova. “I also have confidence that HawkShadow will eliminate those who seek to destroy this union of ours.”

“Is that why you are not taking us to Angragar?” asked the Sakovan assassin.

“Yes,” Lyra admitted. “It is necessary for me to join the Torak and the Astor in Angragar, but the trip comes at a critical time for the Sakova. I need skilled Sakovans to protect me on this trip, but I need the best to remain here. LunarSigh and DarkBlade are already waiting for me within the city. They will keep me safe until I return home.”

“Both are well skilled,” StarWind responded, “but you are to take three people with you. Who is the third?”

“My Uncle Temiker,” smiled Lyra. “I want his help when we start studying the ancient tomes of the Qubari. He often sees things that others miss. I want to be sure that we learn everything that we can about this coming invasion.”

“Your choice of Temiker pleases me,” smiled StarWind. “He will watch over you.”

“Kaltara always watches over me,” Lyra replied with a smile. “Let’s go talk to our generals.”

The four Sakovans rode down the hill and through the encampment. Imperial Guards scurried to and fro throughout the camp, but those along the path of the Star of Sakova stopped and stared as the Sakovans rode by. Some soldiers wondered who the strangers were, but word quickly spread that the Star of Sakova was coming. Before they were half way to the generals’ tents, soldiers began bowing as Lyra passed. Soon crowds grew and created a corridor through the camp. Lyra smiled benevolently at the soldiers as she passed.

By the time the Sakovans reached the tents of the two generals, Romero and Didyk were standing outside. They both bowed humbly when the Sakovans halted and dismounted.

The only Imperial Guard, who was not bowed down, moved swiftly from alongside the tent. He stabbed a knife into the side of General Didyk. HawkShadow leaped forward, drawing his two-handed sword as he ran. As the Imperial Guard turned to run away, HawkShadow’s blade sliced into the man’s back. The assassin fell to the ground and died.

Lyra raced to the fallen general and knelt next to him while HawkShadow knelt next to the dead assassin and searched his body. HawkShadow found nothing but a small pouch of gold on the body. He reached for the assassin’s left arm to inspect the wrist area. Some assassins in Omunga were branded with a tattoo resembling a coiled serpent with wings. It was their way of identifying each other. HawkShadow dropped the left arm and examined the right one. He frowned when he saw the mark. It was not the tattoo that he had been expecting to see. Instead of the coiled serpent, there was a thumbprint seared into the man’s flesh. He shook his head and dropped the arm.