Aylem, Crystal Shrine and Salicet 8th rot., 10th day
Poor Emily. She looked lost as Lugasha, Imstay, Foyuna, and Usruldes concocted a plan right there in the Crystal Shrine to divert the Impotuan cavalry away from Salicet and stage a miracle for the evacuation of Salicet. The city would be emptied before the deadline I had set arrived. I suppose we could have delayed the destruction of the city, but having announced an event ordained by a god, I didn’t want to make Galt look like a liar or appear fickle about his divine acts of destruction. He was the wrong god to anger.
The eagles' part was simple. Along with permitting us to cross their territory, they volunteered to attack the Impotuan summer capital of Kipgapshergar, where the Empress moved while her palace in Salicet was being rebuilt. We hoped that the eagle attack would pull most or all of the Impotuan force out of Salicet.
Why were the eagles even more cooperative? Because of the results of the Trial of Oyseray. The eagles were impressed that Emily forced another revision of Foskan law, one that was demanded by the gods to put all the sapient races on an equal footing. They were convinced Emily was a real prophet and when Usruldes explained what we were trying to do, Lugasha made her proposal simply to help out Emily. I guess that when the eagles decide to name someone as their friend, it’s not just hot air to them.
Because of the revision of Foskan law, it looked to me that we might end up with the eagles as active allies instead of barely polite somewhat hostile neighbors. Our standing with the eagles was greatly helped by the continuing raids on aeries in the Blue Mountains by Impotuans to steal eagle eggs. In contrast, the last captive eagle breeding operation in Foskos was shut down when Lord Kushamar was executed and we gave up raiding nests for eggs in the terms of the Mounts’ Treaty.
The eagles would stage their attack late in the day. This would give our clergy, wraiths, and army forces time to get to Salicet, which takes six hours to reach by cutting through eagle territory. Only then would we know if the eagles’ diversion worked or if we needed to stage an attack. Either way, Foyuna would set up the charm of stopped time for early morning on the first day of the ninth rotation. The city would be empty by the afternoon when Emily would instruct me on how to destroy it.
Well, that was the plan…
Of course, I could have done the flight by myself in half the time but people don't react to me well when I do that. It was fine to let Asgotl do the flying. True to form, Emily fell asleep. I don’t know how she managed to do that. I always found the landscapes I fly over too interesting to fall asleep.
We landed on the west and opposite side of the ridge from Salicet. Lord Usruldes was waiting in the vale Imstay had picked as our camping spot. I got off Asgotl and walked to where Imstay and Usruldes were talking. Emily followed on Asgotl. She had recently started to stay mounted if she could. I think she preferred it since it left her at the same eye level as everyone else.
“Two-thirds of the flying cavalry left with the Imperial Heir less than a bell ago,” Usruldes explained. “The 200 that remain are maintaining the appearance of a larger force. The problem is that the ones who stayed here are all warmages of Erhonsay, led by their high priestess. If they are even half as good as our warmages of Erhonsay, they can maintain the blockade of the city by themselves. Some of the city’s magic users are preparing to storm the cavalry camp after the sun goes down. It may become bloody in the city tonight. We must decide if we will fight them or try to use deception to put our astromages in place.”
Just then, the four of us felt that heavy, short fright of a god talking to Emily.
Asgotl’s head swiveled around as he strained to look at her on his back, “I felt that, Grandma.”
Emily's head was down, and when it came up, she had that fey look she gets after a god has talked to her directly. When the gods address her, the divine contact is strong enough that even I am affected by the godmarks for a short time.
“I must go to Salicet. Asgotl, will you please take me to the cavalry camp at the top of the city?”
“Now?” Asgotl squawked.
"Yes, now, Blubber Brain," she smiled with a sad expression. Her strange eyes reflected the setting sun, making her look even more fey.
Kamagishi ran into the clearing followed by Losnana, "What god was that? We felt that. Then the content of the precognition began to shift. It is now uncertain other than the destruction of the city."
“It was Erhonsay,” Emily looked down at the two high priestesses. “She has a message for clergy on the other side of the ridge. I must go now. Asgotl?”
“No," I cried out, "Emily, you need protection. They could attack you or take you as a hostage."
"Aylem, dear, I am on an errand for a god. Nothing can harm me or Asgolt while I take care of it, not even you." Her weird eyes begged me to understand. I thought of all her strange tales of her recent travels with Galt, Vassu, and Erhonsay, and realized that what she just said was true. The hand of a god was upon her right now, and she was probably unstoppable and indestructible. She frightened me just then.
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“None of you will follow me," Emily said with authority and we had no choice but to obey. Then we felt a god touch Emily again. She stiffened when it happened, and her eyes widened in surprise, "except Kamagishi and Pibl."
“What?” Kamagishi was gobsmacked.
“Galt wants you to observe,” Emily made a funny quizzical face.
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Emily, flying to Salicet 8th rot., 10th day
Like usual, I fell asleep as Aylem, Asgotl, and I flew to where we would spend the night before the evacuation and destruction of Salicet on the morrow. I woke up a few times. The first time I saw magnificent mountains and an escort of four eagles guiding us through them, Aylem told me by mindcasting. The next time I woke up, we were over a landscape of low rolling hills and rivers covered by farms with fields now empty of their harvest. I woke a few more times after that but we had traveled to a much more arid area with small herds of antelope and deer, balmbrush and sparse desert cedars, and trees only where they lined watercourses.
I woke up when we landed in a wooded area drained by a mountain stream. Asgotl landed next to where Imstay and Usruldes were talking to each other. Aylem hopped off and walked up to them but I decided to stay on Asgotl. The large number of Cosm walking about while the sun was less than a bell from setting made me nervous about getting stepped on or tripped over, so I stayed strapped onto the saddle for now.
“Not getting off, Grandma?” Asgotl asked.
“Don’t want to get accidentally squished, Blubber Brain,” I reached up and scratched his neck. He strolled over so we could listen in on what Usruldes and Imstay were talking about. Usruldes explained that the regular cavalry had left, leaving the powerful priestesses and priests of Erhonsay behind to maintain the blockage. His revelation that the city’s citizens were planning to riot upset me.
*If you wish to prevent more bloodshed,* Erhonsay’s voice echoed inside my mind, *you must convince my High Priestess that this blockade is not my will. Remind her of the Conventions of Surd. You should also tell her about Galt’s plan. Go now, before the sun sets.*
My breath was taken away as a vision unfolded in my mind’s eye of what the future held. Then I looked up and had to tell Aylem, Imstay, and Usruldes that I had to leave for Salicet immediately. I knew they wouldn't like it.
I had to assume that the instructions from Erhosay changed the time variables around the immutable event of Salicet’s destruction because Kamagishi and Losnana came at a sprint over to me, saying the content of the precognition was in flux. I wasn’t surprised.
Then Aylem started with the inevitable protest over my safety, "Emily, you need protection. They could attack you or take you as a hostage."
I didn't want to waste time arguing, so I went straight for the divine authority argument, which would be a good test of whether it would really stick with these stubborn, over-protective Cosm friends of mine.
“Aylem, dear, I am on an errand for a god. Nothing can harm me or Asgolt while I take care of it, not even you. None of you will follow me,” I commanded in my best managerial voice from when I ran a mineral processing plant in Peru.
Then Galt spoke to me, which surprised me. Two gods in one day was a bit much.
*Kitten, take Kamagishi with you. I want her to watch. She must hear the prophecy.*
“Except Kamagishi and Pibl,” I added, looking down at Kamagishi from where I sat on Asgotl’s tall back.
“What?” Kamagishi was gobsmacked.
“Galt wants you to observe,” I told her.
She touched the crystal pendant around her neck, "Pibl will be here in a moment. Did you just talk to Galt?" Kamagishi sounded a little scared.
“It wasn’t a dialogue,” I explained. “It was a command.”
“Oh,” Kamagishi now looked scared.
Losnana studied her and then hugged her, “It will be fine. Galt always protects us. Take your recording scroll and use it. That’s what my precog is telling me.”
“Really?” Kamagishi squeaked.
“Yes, Sister, it is,” Losnana smiled with reassurance, looking just then like a wise grandmother giving sage advice.
While I watched them, I realized that the prophecy unsettled me. I was going to make a prophecy? Then I thought about it, and I realized the prophecy must be about Galt’s plans, which I was to convey to the High Priestess Ilsabess. What a bother, but I realized I shouldn't complain if it would stop a riot tonight. My problem just then was that I was hungry, and running off to Salicet would delay my dinner from arriving in my stomach.
*I can make it up to you, kitten. How about that little chifa restaurant you like in Huancavalica?*
“Deal!” I shouted in my mind. I could wait for dinner if there was chifa, that amazing blend of Peruvian and Chinese cooking, in the offing. Then I looked around me and saw five expectant Cosm faces waiting for me to explain the latest utterance of a god.
“I’m s...sorry,” I swallowed awkwardly, “that wasn’t for sharing.”
“Chinese Peruvian?" Aylem asked softly, wondering. Of course, she picked up the thought. She was standing right next to me and could read me like a book. "Lucky stiff," she muttered, clearly fighting down some envy. Tiki needed to take Aylem out for more Trader Vic trips.
“What sort of food is that?” Kamagishi looked at me with very round eyes. Of course, I immediately reacted by remembering my favorites, taypa a la plancha with its mix of beef, pork, shrimp, and tofu puffs, and arroz chaufa, the Peruvian version of fried rice.
“Galt’s been taking you out to dine?” Usruldes asked with a touch of awe. Imstay gaped on cue.
The situation was getting worse by the second. I needed to get out of here and do my errands for Erhonsay and Galt. Then I could take a break before I got my name associated with outsized destruction tomorrow.
"Look, Kamagishi," I saw her eagle start air braking to land next to me and Asgotl, "Pibl's here. Hop on, and let's go."