Meetings on the Wind

"You are not going to duck out of socializing. If you do, they'll think you look down on them." Anisca thought the gathering hour was important, while Taylor had other things to do with his time.

"It can't be helped. I have disciples in the field who are being hunted. They go to a lot of trouble, just to find somewhere safe enough to meet. Not showing up because I'm partying is not an option."

Anisca eyed the saddles, food, and water prepared for four people. "Everyone will be there. They will ask where you are. What am I to tell them?"

"Tell them I'm speaking on the wind. It's not a secret that disciples can do it. I'll go to gathering tomorrow night, barring some emergency."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Anyone afraid of princesses would have shrunk in that glare. "This is important. I can make excuses for you for one night, but not two in a row. You have to be there, or no matter what I say they'll think poorly of you."

"If you believe it's that important, then I promise I'll be there."

"I'll give them your regrets, too. The ones you appear not to have." She stalked out the door with Riculta, Soraya, Otavio, and Alice trailing behind her. Alice stopped to have a word.

"You're working too hard. Make some time to enjoy yourself tomorrow." She smoothed his hair as if it were sticking up somewhere, and added, "Try to get enough sleep tonight." She departed in a swoosh of bright cloth. She was always trying to mother Taylor ever since they met, a year ago. It was embarrassing, but he didn't hate it.

That left Inez and the cousins, Milo and Mila, and Iraj. While they checked their gear for the night's excursion, Taylor retreated to his room. From there, he retreated to his forest.

❖ ❖ ❖

Thoughtspace

Futobel-Phillip lazed in a patch of sun and let the forest breeze tickle the small hairs on his trunk. His figurative door was open so there was little for him to do besides wait. Just laying on the ground for a minute with nothing to do was bliss. Maybe Alice was right and he was working too hard. He hadn't played any music, at least not for fun, in weeks. Then again, ever since he had started writing prayer songs in earnest music had become another kind of work. The hymns were incredibly useful: they let a congregation with traces of talent effect small miracles. But the hymns were work. He had an interesting box he was working on, but that was the extent of his recreation for the last month. He sighed heavily and rolled over, to warm the other side of his flanks. All too soon, he had to greet his guests. It wouldn't do to let them see him lolling in his forest.

Giant-Edos was the first to arrive, followed by Antilope-Leila, Bird-Souzanne, Obsidian-Ma, and a selection of disciples from Red Tower. It was good to see all their avatars in his thoughtspace, but it was his fielded disciples Taylor worried about. If any of them ran into trouble he was too far away to help.

There wasn't much news from Red Tower, as Taylor had only been gone for a day. They had started construction on a stairway to the top of the mesa, under the direction of Lector Manu. She had wanted an architectural masterpiece, but Kasryn had talked her down into doing something functional that could be refined later. So far, she was keeping to that plan.

Edos and Leila both had acquired recruits. Edos had convinced some healers in Gallia to defect to Nexus. Leila had purchased talent from the gem mines in Hyskos.

Antilope-Leila's horns shone proudly. "I've been posing as a merchant lately," she explained. "I'm trying to figure out how to break the debt-slavery system here, but it's so ingrained into everything that getting rid of it won't be easy. Their whole way of life is set up to push people into debt so the wealthy can make slaves of them. Anyway, I found these three and bought them with silver I stole from other slavers. The most interesting thing about them is, they're all cousins and half-siblings. They've all agreed to train to become disciples. I plan to backtrack to the estate that sold them, and see if there's more of them."

"How will we get these new trainees to Red Tower?" In real life Mataba was the distinguished Dean of Healing, while Arkto-Mataba peered longingly at the lowest branches, wishing for fruit. "The trains won't run until after we kill Darkmaw. But, that will take time. And, the recruits must be protected no matter how they travel."

"I can deliver mine myself," said Giant-Edos, "but it means leaving Gallia unprotected for a while. There are a lot of monsters coming down from the mountains this year. Can you send someone to meet us on the border?"

"That's not a bad idea." Arkto-Mataba scratched his chin with long claws. "His Holiness wants the desert mapped. If we send cadres in both directions, Gallia and Hyskos, they can map parts of the desert and retrieve the recruits."

"I am not a hierophant," complained the futobel.

"And yet your own Game of Prelates predicts the necessity for one. Who else will do the job?"

A half-dozen voices shouted in unison. "Not It!"

"Brother Phillip will have to do for now." Taylor knew he had to insist or this nonsense would escape from thoughtspace into the real world.

"What about Eldest Brother Phillip the Younger" suggested Giant-Edos, to approving nods. They seemed to think the incongruity of the title and the name only made it better.

"You're going to be very disappointed when we meet, and you find out how much younger I am than you."

"You were my master's apprentice before me, which makes you my senior. Eldest Brother is fitting." The avatars made various noises of amusement.

"Ma'Tocha," trumpeted the futobel, "any progress in Dace?"

"Yes. We have captured two more fragments of sun." There was some excitement in the circle of disciples' avatars at that announcement. Having Enclave run around with fragments killing innocent people with talent was wrong on too many levels to ignore. Getting the fragments back under Nexus's control was a blessing.

Bird-Souzanne shook her gem-toned wings. "If Enclave doesn't know you're hunting fragments, they will soon. They'll use the fragments as bait to trap and kill you. Be canny in how you proceed from now on."

"I'm aware. And, they know how I operate," agreed Obsidian-Ma, "it makes things more challenging." Her four stony arms pondered and flexed. "So far we have had an unexpected advantage in Harrence. He knows surprising things, like hidden trails, and the locations of rare herbs along roads he's never traveled. It's as if he has comprehensive knowledge about the area around him. Nothing happens near us that he doesn't know about. It's like a limited divination, but he's entirely untrained. Have you heard of anything similar?"

"He has suffered emotional shocks," mused Arkto-Mataba, "sometimes that can unlock latent talent. Keep a careful eye on him. Try to get him to talk about how he's feeling, and be supportive. If he's using a talent, he'll need people he trusts to talk to about it. Those with hidden talents can suffer feelings of isolation."

They talked for a while longer about Harrence, but all they decided in the end was to keep a close eye on him and earn his trust.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Taylor then shared his day with the disciples, his doubts about the doyennes, and what he was getting up to that night. "This business between the Kashmari and the Satomen is bothering me. Clintus described Satoma as a client of Kashmar, and Iraj said something similar today. Why send a strike force against your one ally in the desert?"

Obsidian-Ma favored Futobel-Phillip with a grim smile, black lips against black teeth. "When you don't understand your enemy's actions, look at the results. What has happened so far? What will likely happen next?"

"Satoma started taking wives by force. If they go too far, the other gardens will counter-attack to rescue their women. But Satoma is supposed to be pretty strong, so … oh." The fighting would kill more hunters, maybe a lot more of them. Possibly, that was what Kashmar wanted. The failure of gardens like Dagono to help their neighbors would also widen any rifts that existed between them.

"They're laying the groundwork for their invasion, sapping the Calique's strength, and ensuring they won't work together. We knew they would probably invade after Darkmaw is dead, but attacking an ally to weaken a future enemy feels pretty sophisticated."

Obsidian-Ma nodded approvingly. "They've been doing this for centuries. They know the desert and they know their enemies. Twice they have succeeded at taking Sand Castle. When the time comes, you'll have to find ways to surprise them."

"I'll show them things this world has never seen," promised the futobel, "but not until after we're established here, and we've hunted Darkmaw."

Their last order of business was getting a cadre out to the Pashtuk camp to help them out. Mataba promised to take care of it and, one by one, the avatars vanished.

When the others had gone, Futobel-Phillip called one more mind to his own. There was a student he had left behind in Lavradio because his noble family didn't want him in exile. Few people would connect the bright nine-year-old novice in the Nexus school with the young noble currently running around the royal palace.

"Gonzo. Gonzo. Gonzo. Little guy with whiskers. Where have you gone, little Gonzo? Little guy with gray fur and whiskers, named Gonzo. I am picturing you right now."

A small bluish cloud appeared in Taylor's thoughtspace. "Taylor! You did it! I can't believe you called me from so far away. And, wow! This is too sway! It feels like a real forest!"

"You're not in public, are you? I can tell you're talking out loud."

"I'm in our palace quarters with Father. He's looking at me like I have a deadly fever."

"Give Rodrigo my regards."

"Taylor says Hello."

The voice of Baron Monforte of Fringe came back to Taylor through the cloud. "You're talking to him, right now?"

"I'm in his head, and it's awesome! There's a forest, and he's a futobel like his mark, stars and everything, and I can hear the leaves in the wind …"

"Where is he now?" Baron Rodrigo knew his son, and he'd never get a word in if he let the boy enthuse without restraint.

"I'm in Dagono right now. Most of Nexus is setting up elsewhere, but I'm here making friends. Or, trying to anyway." Gonzo relayed that information, plus the fact Taylor could hear what was said in the room, to his father.

"I need a thorough update from him. The dowager will not let me rest if I fail to deliver a sufficient report. Certain other parties will also be interested."

"Rather than do this piecemeal, why don't I dictate a letter? I'll put everything I'm willing to reveal in it. The baron can pass it around to whoever is interested."

"Father, let me have the writing desk!"

"I need a minute to finish."

"While the baron finishes, how are you doing?"

The cloud pulsed and paled. "I'm bored! It feels like the palace moves in slow motion. I got used to Nexus, where everyone trains like their lives depend on it."

"Because they do," the futobel reminded the cloud.

"The kids here don't take anything seriously. They think I'm weird because I'm 'too dedicated'. James' training has paid off, though. I can beat everyone my age in the yard."

"Is the church giving you any trouble?"

"They have no idea I was a student. All your students went with you into exile, and Gonzo Monforte came to the palace a week later with Baron Fringe. Identity washed! But I'd rather be in Kravikas with the school. " In a whisper, he added, "We argue about it."

"Don't give your father a hard time. The situation here is complicated and dangerous. And there's a certain utility to having you in the palace. Yes?"

"… You want me to be your secret channel to the king, don't you?"

"Do you mind?"

"I guess not. It might make things more interesting."

"What's the church doing?"

"The new prelate is Brother Seraño, of all people. Remember the guy who tried to kill you in open court? And he tried to tear down the Chapel of Compassionate Light, but nobody would take the job. Even when he offered to pay in silver. He's been completely blacklisted by the unions. He forbade priests from preaching there, so it's officially abandoned now. People still show up to worship anyway. Then he tried to shut down what was left of the school, but the city minister arrested him and dragged him in front of King Leonardo. The king reminded him that it wasn't church property and didn't have anything to do with the arts anymore. 'Not in your remit,' he said. The civil service and music schools are running, but they're forbidden from singing prayer songs. Everyone is. Officially the king supports the ban, but he isn't exactly hunting down the heretics. I don't get it. Why would he go along with exiling you, and then be uncooperative with the church after?"

"If he's anything like his sister, he's maintaining a plausible loyalty to both sides until he knows which one will win. I don't blame him for it. He has to do what's best for Lavradio, and he can't exactly fight off a determined invasion right now, can he?"

"True. I have the desk now."

Futobel-Phillip sat on his haunches and thought about what he should say. He needed to recount recent events, hide some information, and give his followers uplifting lessons. Scripture offered plenty of templates to choose from.

"Disciple Phillip the Younger, blessed by divine Olyon and called to his holy Work, greets the fellowship of believers who live in the Four Tenets, who pray together in Olyon's name, whether they gather in great basilicas, village shrines, at home, or under the open sky. We who are brothers and sisters in faith will always seek truth wherever we are, at home or abroad, safe in our native land or in exile. We are blessed to pursue the Work, and by the Work we are blessed.

"The old church's neglect is everywhere. They ignore sickness in Susa, franango in Elra, outbreaks of horned leporine on Gallia's coast, and more. Does Enclave dispatch a single disciple to heal the sick or battle man-eating monsters? Do the so-called Guardians of Faith protect the faithful? Not one of their disciples was sent to perform their sworn Work. And Enclave calls us heretics.

"It was Nexus disciples who, outlawed and hunted, risked their lives to appear in these remote places and work the necessary miracles to save Olyon's people. While they were so engaged, Enclave sent disciples to attack our trains of students, priests, healers, and other believers who dedicate themselves to the body of the church. And Enclave calls us heretics.

"Enclave has established a new corps of priests, sickeningly named Defenders of Pure Faith, who use fragments of sun to hunt innocents with spiritual talent. They build pyres and burn these unfortunates alive and force their villages to watch. They have found and, through their barbarity, killed innocents throughout Dace in this way. Most of their victims are children. And Enclave calls us heretics.

"If Enclave is orthodox, shouldn't we all be heretics?

"Nexus has arrived in Kravikas, a land beset by a great evil, a monster whose like has not been seen in hundreds of years. They speak of her in hushed voices, this destroyer of gardens, and call her Darkmaw. In its chaotic wake, the tribes are left in upheaval. Refugees stalked by heat and starvation beset the gardens that remain untouched … "

Taylor recounted the work Nexus was doing to protect people from monsters and disease. He spoke a little about their efforts to create a new oasis but purposefully left out the location of Nexu's new headquarters. Everyone would know where they were eventually, but he wasn't going to broadcast it while their situation was so fragile. They weren't exactly prepared to take on visitors. By the time he was done the letter was far longer than planned.

"Monster hunts, building oases, rescuing people. I can't believe I'm missing out!"

"From here it just feels like a lot of work. But it's good work, so I can't complain."

"Father is unhappy with the ending. He's frowning."

The baron's voice was heard in the background, "When can we expect the next installment?"

Tell him, "When Sand Castle is free."

"Next week."

"That's not what I said!"

"Just kidding. He says, 'When Sand Castle is free.'"

"And where is the princess? Is she with you?"

"She's here in Dagono, working. She goes by Anisca now. For various reasons I need her to represent us to the Calique women. We're, um, still learning to work with each other."

After Gonzo relayed that tidbit to his father, they were treated to his laughter. Futobel-Taylor scratched his back on a tree while they waited for it to subside. It sounded like the baron was familiar with the princess's difficult personality.

"Gonzo, I need you to build something for me, an experiment. I would prefer you use the palace craftsmen if you can get permission."

Futobel-Phillip produced an exemplar from out of nowhere. It was his thoughtspace, so he could have anything he wanted in it. The wooden device was shaped like a bowl with a lid. The lid had a hole in it, and around the hole was a design described in silver wire. A cabochon of orange garnet sat in the design.

"It looks like the body of a nickleharp or guitar," said Cloud-Gonzo. He had begun to pulse with yellow intensity.

"It basically is. It's not too different from a link working in conference mode, powered by a spirit gem. Have your father take you to a gem merchant and pick through their cuttings of garnet and chrysoberyl. Try to find any that will store spirit. You should be able to make do with the smallest, cheapest pieces as long as they can store a little spirit."

"Why not use links?" asked cloud-Gonzo.

"I have my reasons," said the futobel with a smile.