I nodded at Bet as I led Erhi and Batu out of his home and into the streets of the First Capital. Munokhoi scurried behind us, glancing left and right every few seconds. The First Capital had more people than the ruins would suggest: three or four families seemed to live in each little home, and everyone seemed to be going somewhere else. Men pushed past us on their way to ply their trades, sweating from the heat, carrying hammers, nails, saws through the street. Even the old women hung washing as if it were urgent business. The place was starting to grow on me.

“Through here,” Munokhoi said, slipping through a low doorway and waving us to follow him. It looked as if it was intended for tall goblins or children. The doorway led us to a long, narrow alleyway with wet clothes dripping onto us from above.

“Kublai, where’re we going?” Erhi asked.

Munokhoi guffawed and glanced back at us. “He actually thinks that there are, I don’t know, secret tunnels all over the city, and that the Council of Lords has been using them, in addition to profound athletic ability or some kind of teleportation, to convene.”

“Teleportation?” Batu said. “That’s probably it.”

Munokhoi squinted. “Are… are you being serious?”

“He doesn’t know about it.” I tapped my satchel.

“Ah,” Batu nodded. “That explains it.”

“Explains what?” Munokhoi said.

“It explains why you think you’re right,” Erhi said. “I have one question, though. Why would the Council bother going through all the trouble? They’re the most influential individuals on the continent.” She glanced at her feet. “Not to mention who they work for.”

Munokhoi shrugged. “Secrecy.” He waved his fingers. “Spooky mystique. I don’t know.”

“That’s my point,” she said. “Why be secret at all? They could meet in an alehouse and no one would dare disturb them. No one would even dare walk in. People who lived next to the alehouse would find new accommodations within the hour.”

“You’re assuming there’s no secret to keep,” I said.

Munokhoi guffawed. “If I could somehow teleport from a graveyard to a palace at the center of the city, I’d consider that a secret, and one worth keeping.”

Batu nudged my arm. “The esteemed… I forgot his name, but clearly he thinks you shouldn’t be flaunting that map as much as you do. He’s got a point, to be fair.”

Munokhoi grinned smugly, but that faded quickly. “Wait. What map? What’re you talking about?”

“Eyes forward,” I said to him. I turned my head to Batu. “It doesn’t really matter if people know about the map. The map isn’t what made all this happen. It just made it happen now.”

Batu shrugged and grinned. “Eternal Blue Sky knows it would’ve happened eventually.”

“The people who know about the map can’t do anything with the knowledge,” I said. “The ones who can do something already know.”

“The ones?” Erhi said.

“The Council of Lords. Him. Enemies in higher places that I haven’t met yet.”

Erhi narrowed her eyes. “How much higher?”

Batu chuckled. “When Kublai was six, he vowed to make the moon his eternal enemy, so….”

“High,” I said, grinning.

“Up these stairs on the right,” Munokhoi said. “We’re almost there.”

We turned. Some children tossed a ball above us, casting a travelling shadow on the ground. The stairs were uneven and cracked, and some looked as if the stone had been melted and cooled decades ago. Thin pillars eclipsed dark little nooks and lined the stairs. They’d looked too fragile to be safe. Whispers grazed my ear like mice a foot in the night. A sack of hay seemed to rustle a bit when I glanced at it. It didn’t have the same thick layer of dust as everything else.

I slowed my pace, and bumped Batu with my elbow. He nodded.

Munokhoi didn’t look back at us when he said, “We’re almost there. Almost. It’s just around….”

I grabbed Erhi’s hand and stopped.

Munokhoi noticed after a few more paces. He glanced back at us. “What’re you doing? The graveyard’s just around the corner over there. Just there. Let’s go—”

“No I think we’re already there,” I said. “This place will make a fine graveyard.” I glanced around the avenue. “For you, and for your friends hiding in the shadows.”

Munokhoi breathed sharply. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I drew my dagger and threw it at the sack. When it pierced the brown material, the sack yelped. It started bleeding and slumped over.

“I’m sure he didn’t know anything either,” I said.

Munokhoi whistled.

Four men emerged from the shadows. They wore the same guard’s uniform, but their blades weren’t standard issue. They were much more expensive, with carvings of dragons and tigers on their hilts and guards. This wasn’t just Munokhoi. This was someone with deeper pockets.

Batu yawned and stretched. “I always knew you were a bastard… Money-guy? Monkey-oil?”

“It’s Munokhoi,” Munokhoi said. “Moo. No. Koy.” He shook his head and drew his blade. “Never mind. You won’t need my name where you’re going.”

“No he won’t,” I said. “We’re going to the Council, and you’re going, well….” I pointed down.

“You’ll go there first,” he said.

“I’ll go other places before you too.” I drew my blade. “Lady Khulan, for example.”

He went red and scowled. “Shut up!”

“Not his strong suit unfortunately,” Batu said. “Shall we, brother?”

I dashed forward. I covered the distance in a couple seconds, but one of Munokhoi’s men intercepted my blade. The hiss of steel being drawn filled the avenue and scared the children above us inside.

I let him strike my blade off course. The motion, however, left him in an awkward stance. I regained my balance before him and brought my fist into his gut. The blow landed with a crunch as my fist met his armor. He glanced down and his eyes widened when he saw the dent I’d left.

Munokhoi’s other men saw too, but were either too stupid or too overconfident to appreciate the damage I could do. Three of them charged me together, and only one went after Batu.

I swung my sword across, but that was just a feint. My blade couldn’t pierce their armor, but my fists would crush their bones as if their armor wasn’t there at all. I hadn’t had a chance to test the lingering effects of the Spirit Realm. This was as good an opportunity as any.

I turned my blade toward one man in particular, forcing him to block the strike or lose his head. I kicked at his padded leg, and it cracked. He yelped, but by the time he could gather his wits, I’d already twisted his neck.

The other two back off a little. They shared a look, then glanced at me, and then back at one another.

I waved at them. “Don’t keep your friend waiting.”

They scowled and charged me, but they clearly hadn’t though it through. Their shoulders were almost touching, so they couldn’t swing their blades freely. They had the higher ground, but that didn’t help if I was the better man.

I dipped under their blades, bending down and pushing them at the chest. I’d expected them to stumble over the steps, but instead they flew off and hit the pillars of a tall building. Small cracks formed where they’d landed.

One was out. The other staggered to his feet and spat blood. He narrowed his eyes and tried to step forward, but collapsed next to his comrade.

Batu started clapping, his opponent slumped at his feet. Erhi clapped along, nervously.

“I’ll just… I’ll do it myself, then!” Munokhoi stepped forward. “I’ll take Lord Oktai’s silver all for myself.”

“This,” I held my sword up, “is the only lord’s metal you’ll get.”

He swung, but I slapped it away with a quick turn of my wrist, as easily as waving a fly off of food. Munokhoi still didn’t see that he was outclassed. He scowled and jumped at me. I shrugged and stepped off to the left.

Munokhoi tried to regain his balance, but the steps made him stumble and roll. He lay huffing and sprawled out over three steps near a thin pillar. “You… I’ll get you.”

I sidled forward. “You’ll try.”

“Try this!” Munokhoi struck in an arc, but I stepped back instantly. His swing missed me, but hit the pillar and lodging itself into the wooden supports.

“Shit!” He tugged at his blade.

I put the tip of mine on his throat. “You’ve disappointed me.”

He tried pulling with two hands this time. “Fuck!”

“Pick who you serve more carefully.” I pushed down, and he gargled blood. “In the next life.”

The street went quiet, save for the wind racing down the stairs and the distant sound of a crowd. Erhi had been covering her eyes with her hands, but when everything went quiet, she peeked out. Batu leaned down and flicked the unconscious men’s cheeks.

“Is… is it over?” Erhi said.

“For now,” I said.

“For a while,” Batu said. “These guys are out.”

“Then let’s get going,” I said.

“Going where? Our guide is dead,” Batu said.

“He wasn’t creative enough to lead us in a completely wrong direction,” I said. “We must be close to something.”

Erhi stepped over Munokhoi’s body and tiptoed over to me, as if not to disturb them. Batu walked as he normally did, with heavy steps to announce his arrival. They fell in behind me and I led them up the stairs, peeking into alleyways and little avenues, but I didn’t see anything until I stepped over the last step and into a wide, open road lined with merchant’s carts and horse stables.

“Kublai,” Erhi said. “I think we’re lost.”

“I have a good sense of direction.” I approached a man tending his horses. He brushed them as if the horses would die if he didn’t. “Excuse me, I’m looking for a graveyard.”

His brushing stopped. “A graveyard, or the graveyard?”

“If I ask for the latter, will you answer?”

He turned away from me. “I’m new to town.”

“As am I.” I stuck out a hand. “Lord Kublai, of Karakhorum and Ulaanbaatar.”

“If I just believed everyone who claimed to be a lord,” he said, “I wouldn’t have any horses left to tend.”

I stuck my hand into my satchel and drew a silver coin. I flicked it over to him.

He dropped the brush and bowed his head slightly. “My lord.”

“Now,” I said. “The graveyard, if you would.”

“Just past that little mound of rocks. Take the left.” He stood back up and started brushing his horses again.

I returned to Erhi and Batu.

“Who was that?” Erhi asked.

“My sense of direction,” I said. “Come on. It’s this way.”

We took the left by the mound of rocks, and my information proved correct. The graveyard’s rusted iron bars swirled into overlapping spirals, but its gate looked newer. The gate’s bars were straight and steel, and two men lounged on wooden chairs in front of it.

Erhi held Batu and I back. “It’s guarded.”

I pulled my hand free and strode ahead. “I know. Wait here.”

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One guard nudged the other awake from his nap as I approached. He snorted and sat up straight, hand on where his sword should have been but wasn’t.

“And who are you?” The younger guard said.

“Yeah,” the fat one said, “more like, who do you think you are?

They shared a grin.

“I’m here to pay my respects,” I said. “To the dead.”

“They’ve got enough respects, thank you,” the fat one said.

“A few too many by my count,” the young one said.

They didn’t seem like they’d put up much fight, but I couldn’t deal with them that way. If Lord Oktai or Batbayar or Lady Khulan came here tonight and saw their bodies in a pool of blood, they’d know something was wrong. I had to talk my way through this one. Luckily, my tongue was as sharp as my blade.

“But they don’t have these respects,” I said. “See, I’m not supposed to tell anyone this, but you two seem like men who can keep their mouths shut.” I leaned in close and dropped my voice to whisper. “See, my brother and I are escorting that woman over there into a… meeting with, well, a certain man of high regard.”

They glanced at one another.

“She’s… well, let’s just say that Lord Oktai would be particularly disappointed if she were absent from this meeting. At least, that’s what Captain Munokhoi assured me.”

“Lord Oktai?” the fat one narrowed his eyes and whispered to his friend, “Well, he does seem like the type for that kind of thing.”

“But please,” I said. “This is a sensitive matter. You know how it is.”

The young one pointed at the fat one. “Hah. If his wife ever found out about his, uh, sensitive matters, he’d have first-hand—”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The fat one shook his head. “Fine, you may enter the graveyard. Pay your respects and such.”

“Someone’s getting paid,” I said with a chuckle. “And it most certainly won’t be the dead.”

They laughed. I waved Batu and Erhi forward.

The gates creaked open, grinding along the stone ground. I nodded for Batu and Erhi to go through and bowed my head to the guards.

The graveyard was a mostly flat piece of land, with little grass-covered humps scattered from one wall to the other. When a member of a family died during the time of the First Empire, that persons ashes were placed in the exact same spot as the rest of their family, causing those molehill-height humps. That was the tradition for every family, except the royal family. As a boy, my grandfather had taken me to visit royal gravesites, and every one had a statue of a man and a dragon, both facing up towards the sky. And this graveyard was no different.

This graveyard’s statue, however, rested on a large pedestal, with pillars at all four corners. The statue’s base was at eye level. The stone dragon curled around a boy, both facing toward the sky. I put my hand on the dragon’s tail. I’d expected it to be cold, but it was lukewarm and seemed to warm with my touch. Most of the structure was covered with a thin layer of moss – except for a door-sized section on the front. I ran my fingers along the edge, and I felt a gap.

“I’ve found the door,” I said.

“How do we open it?” Batu said. “I don’t see a knob, and I don’t think even you could kick that door down.”

“This place is…” Erhi shivered. “Uncomfortable. It feels like the Split-Skull Forest.”

“How so?” I asked.

“It feels like he’s been here. A lot.”

“Maybe he’ll open it for us.” Batu shrugged.

“He doesn’t use these doors,” I said. “As far as Munokhoi suggested.”

“Who does?” Batu said.

I smiled. “Let’s wait and see.”

* * *

In the First Capital, night fell like a smith’s hammer on hot iron. Doors shut in unison with heavy thuds, and the sunset seemed to only last a few moments. People abandoned the streets as soon as the light became orange. The goblins seemed to only peek out from their holes for an hour or two. In the graveyard, night seemed to fall faster and darker. No torches lit the way. The heat of the statue was swallowed by the cold of the graveyard.

“Someone’s coming,” Erhi said. “I can feel them.”

“Feel them how?” Batu said. “Magically?”

“It’s like I need to sneeze all the time but can’t,” she said.

Batu frowned. “Magic sounds horrible.”

“Quiet,” I said. “We’ll wait for them to open the door and slip in behind them. Be ready.”

Batu and Erhi nodded.

The gate screamed open. I peeked through a hole in the statue. A dark figure glided across the stone pathway, followed by two guards on either side. When they came closer, I squinted at them. Lady Khulan. Hair draped down her shoulders, like black water over the blue silk of her gown. Her eyes shifted around the graveyard, but she seemed to be in a hurry. The two guards at her sides struggled to keep up.

“…don’t let anyone near.”

I caught the edges of her words.

“…important… don’t disappoint me…”

I leaned closer, my body against the statue.

“…will return by dawn.”

The statue vibrated and its heat became more intense, as if someone had thrown oil on a fire. Lady Khulan’s footsteps went from stone to… something else. Something that didn’t make a noise.

“Now,” I whispered to Erhi and Batu.

They brushed passed me and I leaped over the statue. My shadow loomed over Khulan’s guards. They put their hands on their blades, but my knee and elbow had already hit them in the back of the head and left them on the ground. One tried to strike, but I put my heel into his chin before he could follow through. I—

Stone grinded on stone. The door started to close. I glanced back. Erhi and Batu had just gotten inside.

Batu held out a hand. “Brother, quickly!”

I’d only have a few seconds before it was shut. Batu put a hand out and tried to hold it, but he couldn’t keep it for long. I dashed for the door. It was half shut. I dove for it.

The stone almost caught my heel as it came down, but I’d gotten inside just in time.

“Kublai,” Erhi said. “Where are you? I can’t see you.”

“I can’t see either of you,” Batu said.

The inside of the statue was so dark I couldn’t see myself let alone Batu or Erhi. The floor felt… wet. Damp, as if it’d been raining on some kind of hard soil. It feels like the Split-Skull Forest, I realized. I waved my hands wildly, and I felt something cold and hard. A wall. A bit more waving and I felt Batu’s rough hand. My other hand landed on Erhi’s shoulder.

“Where are we?” Batu asked. “Erhi.”

“How am I supposed to know?” she said.

“See what your nose has to say,” he said.

“Her nose has lots to say when you’re around Batu,” I said. “Take a bath.”

Erhi chuckled.

“We need light,” Erhi said.

“We do,” I said. “Erhi, can you summon some of your healing spirits?”

“You aren’t injured are you?” she said. “I can’t just let them loose. They need orders, or they’ll get loose and eventually become malicious. That’s how night-hounds happen, mind you.”

I pulled out my dagger and cut my palm. I stuck it out to her.

“I…” Erhi said. “Is that blood dripping? What did you do?”

“I gave you something to heal. Now please, let there be light.”

Blue light leaked from Erhi’s hands, like little glowworms writhing over one another. They drifted over to my hand and started their work.

The corridor was simple. Erhi and Batu stared up at the ceiling. The walls and floor were made of stones of different sizes, and the ceiling had what looked like curved stalactites, but when I looked closer…

“They’re teeth,” I said.

“Teeth?” Batu said.

“Dragon teeth,” Erhi said. “There are at least three or four full sets in here.”

Batu jumped up, swinging his blade at the base of a smaller tooth.

“What’re you doing?” Erhi said. “These are ancient. Eternal Blue Sky only knows how old. You have no idea what kind of magic surrounds—”

“The magic of a good souvenir,” Batu said. “I’ve almost got it.”

Erhi looked me.

“Leave the tooth, Batu,” I said. “We don’t know what’ll happen if we do something like that.”

“Fine,” he said.

“We’ll take something from the Council.” I started walking down the corridor.

“Like what?” Batu said.

“I can think of a couple things,” I said, with a smile. “For instance—”

A light flashed through the corridor. Blue, like the light of the Spirit Realm. I felt the ground leave my feet, and it felt as if I’d used the map – only, I hadn’t. And it felt different here. It wasn’t as potent as travelling in the Split-Skull Forest or the rest of the First Capital. It felt colder, emptier, as if I’d been stranded in a blizzard without shoes. My blood felt harder. My bones felt as if they might shatter. The spirits on my hand dissipated.

We landed in a room illuminated by a central blue pit. It pulsed, like a heartbeat. Blue light spread out through the room like arteries. Six chairs were arranged around the pit, but one was on a pedestal and looked as if it was made of melted iron and dragon bone. Lady Khulan glanced back at us, but I pulled Erhi and Batu down behind some boulders in a corner of the room. The rest would be coming soon.

Blue light flashed and a chubby man landed. He stumbled, but regained his balance. He looked drunk. Lord Batbayar. He held onto his chair and looked as if he might vomit, but he sat down before he did.

Another flash of blue light brought Lord Oktai. He walked with a limp, and his thin frame shook with every step. His wrinkles hung on his bones like a coat far too big for him. His left arm, leg and the left half of his face were covered in bandages. Little splotches of red blossomed along his arm, but he tugged the sleeve down to cover them.

“He’s not coming,” Lord Oktai said.

“Does he ever?” Lord Batbayar said.

“Hush,” Lady Khulan said. “He put us in charge of the business of this continent. Would you rather he consider us children who need his approval for every little decision?”

“To tell you the truth,” Batbayar said. “I prefer he doesn’t come. He makes me nervous.”

“Indeed.” Oktai narrowed his eyes at him. “Perhaps if he never came at all you wouldn’t have to overdo it at the tavern.”

Batbayar shrugged. “I overdo it at my home, first of all.”

“Enough,” Lady Khulan said. “We have business.”

Oktai nodded. “The east. That new upstart.”

“Kublai,” she said. “He’s taken both Karakhorum and Ulaanbaatar.” She sighed. “And he’s still in the First Capital.”

“I sent my men after him,” Oktai said. “I haven’t heard from Captain Munokhoi, so I assume he has Kublai in custody.”

Batu gave me a flat look and we chuckled quietly.

“Or Munokhoi’s dead,” Khulan said sharply.

Oktai swallowed. “True.”

“He’s just a boy,” Batbayar said. “So he stole Changhan’s city and used that to force his way into Ulaanbaatar. His people will turn on him or he’ll be too ambitious or he’ll just fall off a horse. Story as old as time.”

Khulan smirked and shook her head. “As old as time indeed. Do you know any other stories, Batbayar?” She leaned forward, interlacing her fingers in front of her. “I do. A fat drunk is too arrogant to see what’s happening in front of his eyes. Forty percent of this Council is no longer with us. In, what, two weeks? And now he’s here. Thousands of miles away. Thousands.”

“He runs fast,” Batbayar said.

“No,” she said. “He’s found a map.”

Erhi’s hand squeezed my forearm.

Oktai guffawed. “While I agree his movements are strange, let’s not assume—”

She waved and cut him off. “We all know what became of the man who found the last map.”

They all glanced at the empty throne.

“Look,” she said. “We can’t underestimate this—”

“No,” I said. “You can’t.”

“Kublai!” Erhi tried to pull me down. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Making an entrance,” I whispered to her. “Trust me. Batu, sneak up behind the scrawny one while I have them distracted. I’ll signal you.”

Batu nodded.

Batbayar stood up, using his sturdy wooden chair to remain stable. “Who do you think—”

“I’m Kublai,” I said. “Of the east.”

Batbayar pursed his lips, then looked at Lady Khulan. “Well, I agree with you now.”

“I could still fall off a horse,” I said. “For what it’s worth.”

Batbayar sat down.

“If you’re going to try and kill us,” Oktai said. “I would suggest another course of action.”

“Of course you would,” I said.

“We have armies,” Batbayar said. “Big enough to drown your cities in corpses before you even think about going back.”

“I’m not here to kill you,” I said. “But I’m not above it, so don’t try anything.”

“What are you here for?” Khulan said.

I strolled forward. “I’m here to discuss terms.”

“Of?” Oktai narrowed his eyes.

I looked over the available chairs and stepped up to the throne. “Your surrender.” I dropped onto it and used another chair to put my feet up.

They were silent. Oktai broke it by laughing. Batbayar joined in. Khulan didn’t.

“Wait,” Oktai said. “You’re serious.”

“Deadly,” I said.

“We have ten times your martial force,” Oktai said. “We control every trade route on the continent. We haven’t had a revolt in three years!” Oktai chuckled. “I see that madness comes with Karakhorum.”

“That all sounds very impressive,” I said. “It’ll be very embarrassing for you when you blow that lead because you rely on people like Munokhoi to do your work for you.”

“He’s dead then?” Batbayar said.

“Quite.” I stood up and sidled over to the empty chair between Batbayar and Khulan. While their eyes were locked on me, Batu slipped closer. “I’ll let you all live out your natural lives in the countryside. You’ll get to have your little families and your rice paddy and I’ll even let you govern a small town.”

“How gracious of you,” Batbayar said. “But I for one will be declining.”

“I as well,” Oktai said.

“And you?” I asked Lady Khulan.

“I don’t like rice.” She shifted in her seat. “Even if you defeat us, he’ll come for you.”

“Everyone keeps saying that,” I said. “I’ve sat on his throne, and, oh, he still hasn’t come. I’m starting to think what’s left of the Council of Lords is only a distant matter to him.”

“Shut up!” Oktai said. “He cares for our endeavors, of course. I will not have you malign—”

“He’s not here,” I said. “You can get off your knees and slowly pull your lips off his ass.”

“I…” Oktai stood in a huff, then sat back down.

Batu used the noise of Oktai’s chair moving to shift over to a few feet behind Oktai.

“There won’t be terms,” Batbayar said. He stumbled to his feet. “Because we won’t surrender. This is war.”

“Agreed!” Oktai said.

Khulan looked into the blue pit and mumbled, “Agreed.”

“Disappointing,” I said. “Batu, now!”

Batbayar’s eyes widened as he saw Batu darted toward Oktai. He stepped forward into the pit. Blue light flashed and he disappeared.

Oktai shot up to his feet. “What—”

Batu jumped up behind Oktai. He tried to grab him. The impact almost sent both of them into the pit, but Batu steadied himself. Oktai, however, let himself fall in. Blue light flashed and he was gone.

Khulan tried to follow them, but I drew my dagger and put it on her neck.

She slumped back into her chair. “Is it too late to discuss terms?”

I smirked. “It’s the ideal hour, in fact. This isn’t the ideal location, however.” I offered her a hand. “Let’s go.”

She took my hand. I held her firmly, just in case she tried anything. “Where are you taking me?”

“Karakhorum,” I slipped my hand into my satchel and pulled out the map. “I have a war to prepare for.”