The night was hot and humid, and the calls of a hundred jungle insects buzzed in Yazwa's ears as she peered out from behind a tree. The old wooden watchtower rose up from the clearing, overlooking a bend in a distant river. A few feeble lanterns flickered in its higher windows, and if Yazwa strained her ears, she could hear faint shouts and screams over the din of the jungle. She drummed her fingers on the tree, eagerly awaiting the signal to move. Aklan Agind, the last of the Blood Acahli and the man they had chased across Adaganna, was holed up inside along with his unfortunate test subjects. He had given them the slip twice, and Yazwa was determined he would not escape again.
From the top of the tower she heard the distant howl of the Loyal One.
As she leapt out into the clearing, she blinked on her sight and shoved cold, white light into her staff without breaking stride. Her feet pounded against the dirt as a boat sped away from the top of the tower into the night. With all of Agind's victims safely in Turantoc's flying ship, that meant there was only one person left inside. When she reached the door she swung her staff into it, cutting through it like butter, but she didn't stop there. Running around the perimeter of the tower, she kept her staff dug in, cutting deep into the walls. When she was halfway around, the tower began to creak and groan. A few more paces was all it took for the structure to crumble.
Yazwa threw herself clear, and her teeth rattled as the mass of wood collapsed to the ground. She ran towards the rubble, her Sight blurred by the torrent of essence dissipating into the air. Agind always had a multitude of Otzen vials tucked away in his hideouts, ready to turn himself into a flying or crawling thing to escape when they came calling. Judging by the riot of colors, every vial in the tower must have shattered on impact with the ground. Which left only one task left.
Stepping quietly and listening carefully, Yazwa shifted around the wreckage until she heard a man groan. Agind burst out of the rubble, aura flickering and blinking with stolen colors. He had managed to hang onto whatever essence he had taken on to fight the Loyal One and Turantoc inside the tower. There was no doubting his tremendous skill; even now, Agind could prove a challenging foe.
Shame he had emerged with his back to Yazwa. One swing was all it took to remove his head from his shoulders. She blinked away her sight and caught her breath. The fall of the tower had silenced the bugs around, and the night was quiet, if only for a moment. When she was sure Agind wasn't going to get back up again, she put her fingers to her mouth and whistled sharply.
-
"I can't thank you enough,'' the Achali said as he helped the last of Agind's victims out of Turantoc's floating dinghy. Some could stand, and others were taken away on stretchers into the temple. "When I said there might be a Blood Achali nearby, everyone thought I was crazy."
Turantoc laughed from the little boat while the Loyal One hung over the side, tail wagging. "Yeah, can't blame them. He was good at covering his tracks. Didn't count on this guy," Turantoc said, scratching the Loyal One's ears.
"Don't worry," Yazwa said, pulling herself up into the dinghy and steadying herself as it wobbled. "We burnt his body in the tower. All his research went up in smoke with him."
The Achali swallowed, drawing a circle on his forehead. "Thank you. I don't, I don't even know your names."
"Better that way," Yazwa said with a grin as the dinghy floated higher, sail unfurling on its own and catching a breeze strong enough to carry them away into the night.
Turantoc gently nudged the Loyal One out of the way as he stretched out in the boat. "That's the last of them," he said. "Thanks for helping out, Loyal One."
The black dog barked once and jumped onto Yazwa's lap, eagerly licking her face.
Yazwa laughed, reaching forward to give his ribs a good scratch. "Awwww, you don't want to leave though, do you? You want to stay and Ah-!" she yelped when the Loyal One abruptly vanished into thin air.
"As good as your scratches are, he has work to do," Turantoc laughed as a floating ship came into view, hovering above a hill top with its bow and stern lit by red lanterns. "Unlike us."
Yazwa leapt down to the deck and helped guide the dinghy into its berth. The ship was similar in size to Bill’s, only sleeker. "Are you sure he was the last Blood Achali left?" she asked as Turantoc jumped down. "Maybe he had an assistant or something we missed."
"There's definitely more," Turantoc said as he landed with a thump. "There's always clever little assholes who think the Blood Taboo doesn't apply to them. But Agind was the last one who knew what he was doing. The Loyal One would have caught the scent of anyone blood-soaked enough to matter. Our hunt is over."
"Good," Yazwa nodded. "I guess all that's left is-"
"Sh," Turantoc said, holding his finger to her lips.
Yazwa held her breath. Barely audible over the creaking of the deckboards was the sound of a small bell.
Turantoc turned, long red coat swishing around him as he strode to the cabin at the back of the ship. "That didn't take long," he said, pushing the doors open and lighting a nearby lantern.
The dim light revealed what Yazwa was already used to. The cramped cabin had a table, chairs and a bed as well as few sea chests for essentials. The left wall was bare, save for nine bronze bells hanging on the wall, each identical to the one Tsen had carried with him. The one furthest away was ringing, letting out a new peal every few seconds. "Is that Tsen's bell?" Yazwa asked, trailing behind Turantoc.
"No," Turantoc said, stopping in front of the ringing bell and flicking it with his finger. "It's Kestrel's."
Yazwa frowned, watching as the bell went silent. "Who's Kestrel?"
The bell rang on its own again and Turantoc flicked it three times. "The 33rd Oracle. Or the 34th. She's in the thirties somewhere. Looks like she needs some help," he said slowly as the bell rang in short bursts.
"Wait," Yazwa said, holding her tongue until the bell was quiet. "That...the Oracle's real? I always thought that was a myth."
Turantoc shook his head and gave the bell a hard rap with his knuckles. "She's very real, and that's the problem. Most thought she was a myth until the Gray Societies spread it around that there was actually a woman who could reveal the secrets of the past and peer into the future. Now every crowned head, moneyed hand, and demon in the world is taking a shot at her. Kestrel found a spy in her temple, and she wants some advice on what she's dealing with this time."
"Well, what are we waiting for, let's go!" Yazwa said.
"It's not that urgent," said Turantoc, giving the bell one last flick. "There won't be anything breaking down the door for at least the next few days. I have enough time to drop you back in Nagiindo first."
Yazwa grinned, smile practically glowing in the dim light. "Who said anything about that? I'm not going to give up a chance to meet the Oracle and throw down with some more demons."
"You two would get along," Turantoc said with a laugh. "Are you sure? This is more than a few Blood Achali or someone with control of a Korav. Some of the things coming after Kestrel have been maruding around the world for thousands of years. They didn't get that old by being weak. It'll be dangerous."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," replied Yazwa, eyes sparkling. "Let's go."
-
"...and now he returns to court your Majesty, to make account of himself and beg for your reprieve," the official said, rolling up the scroll and shuffling away while bowing to the throne.
Saiyun knelt as still as he could on the throne room's polished stone floor. The room was long and narrow, its distant ceiling held up by pillars painted a deep red. At one end was a five-tiered platform, with numerous officials and ministers kneeling at their stations. At the very top was the Emperor, seated on his throne and obscured from view by a beaded curtain. Behind Saiyun courtiers crowded around the pillars, eager for a look at him. Tales of his exploits had reached the Imperial Court long before he had. Whether or not that would work in his favor remained to be seen.
"You say you come seeking forgiveness, but I have yet to hear you ask for it," came an old, yet clear voice. Grand Secretary Sao Kasai rose from his seat only one tier below the emperor. The man was so thin he almost couldn't be seen behind his long white beard. "In all your missives to this court you have never onced asked for a pardon, and now you arrive before as the servant of a foreign woman."
Saiyun could have heard a pin drop as he gathered his thoughts. This was expected, Kasai had spent most of his career trying to keep the borders stable and fortified. He would fight any and all changes to his master plan. The Grand Secretary would be his greatest obstacle. "I am not a servant of Senior Batore Wabaro. You know from her memorials that I compelled her to help me after I had exposed the traitorous ambassador. But she and I are in agreement," Saiyun said as he looked up to the beaded curtain that shrouded the Emperor. "This war must end."
Whispers rippled through the throne room as Kasai gasped in shock. "You dare address the Emperor? You would dare to give him commands?!"
"I only wish for the war to end and for the Haogon Emperor to be enthroned in the Floating Palace where he belongs," Saiyun shot back. "I assume we all share that goal."
"Certainly," boomed another man sitting on the second tier next to Kasai. Where the Grand Secretary was thin and bearded, Imperial Marshall Shi Guan was fat and clean-shaven, clad in gilded ceremonial armor. "We all work for the cause of the true Emperor. But you stand accused of serious crimes against him. Should we just brush aside the law?"
By reputation, Guan would likely be his ally. Rumors swirled about him clashing with Kasai behind closed doors. Saiyun figured giving him a chance to prove himself meant the Marshall was on his side. "We should not brush aside the law, because I stand falsely accused. Governor Tiyake framed me, and after his death, there was no way I could exonerate myself, so I set out to prove my loyalty."
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Reaching into his pockets, Saiyun pulled out three rings and held them out in his open palm. "I know my accounts stretch belief, but I swear on all the stars they are true. As proof, I bring the signet rings I pried off the hand of Grand Admiral Azun's body."
More whispers sounded as a servant scurried over to him with a tray that Saiyun gently placed the rings on. He watched as the man climbed the stairs to the throne and carefully pushed the tray through the beaded curtain. "Every word I say is true. I fought Akshi and a Korav, and I met Azun face to face. The spies of Hilt have confirmed what he told me. Tsilen is gathering a great army to take the Floating Palace, supplied by the cargo of the Treasure Fleet. There is an opportunity to grasp victory we must take."
"I fail to see the opportunity," Kasai huffed. "While I do not doubt the bravery of our army, there is no way it could reach the Floating Palace before Tsilen’s army."
Guan nodded. "The Grand Secretary has a point. Our soldiers are unmatched, but every army marches on its stomach. We could not supply them on such a long march."
Saiyun was certain Guan was his ally now. "You are both right. There is no way one of our armies could supply itself overland. Which is why our goal should not be the Floating Palace. While the bulk of Tsilen's army is attacking the Floating Palace, we must push west along the Raoin Coast and take all of it."
"You dare?" said Kasai, half whispering, half shouting. "You, still a criminal, would dare give your betters orders!"
"Yes, because I have stood by Wabaro's side when she reviewed the one hundred and nine first rate ships that now stand assembled against Tsilen!" Saiyun shot back. "They brought twenty-five thousand professional soldiers with them, armed and ready to do battle. I have seen them drill with my own eyes, as I have seen the countless Vathlanri ships of nineteen assembled Atas prepared for war. Does this armada not prove my loyalty?"
"It proves that...that..." Kasai began, trailing off when he saw the courtiers scrambling to bow down.
The shadow behind the beaded curtain moved as the Emperor rose to his feet. Saiyun pressed his forehead to the floor as the ministers and officials scrambled to turn around and bow down. Saiyun held his breath as an intense silence stretched.
"Saiyun Li Enaoshi," said the Emperor in a deep, yet raspy voice. "Why do you believe the Anku will fight for me? It is well known that they value coin over all else. How can I depend on the loyalty of people who swear fealty only to their own ambition?"
Saiyun was sure the entire throne room could hear his heart hammering away in his chest as he struggled to find the right words. "Your Majesty, it is true that they have swore no oaths to you. But this campaign will serve their interests. They are terrified of the revived Treasure Fleet, as are the Vathlanri. They want it sunk even more than we do. Wabaro has given her word that her fleet will supply our army as it marches west along the coast. We can deny the Treasure Fleet a safe harbor, and with luck, we could even capture it still at anchor."
The throne room was silent again until the Emperor replied. "You say your wish is to see me enthroned in the Floating Palace. The Usurper Litzu is gathering an army to take it for himself. How will you stop him?"
"I won't," Saiyun replied quickly. "That army only has food and ammunition because the Treasure Fleet supplied it. By the time they take the Floating Palace, they'll be low on food and powder. Once we control the Raoin coast, Tsilen can't resupply their armies. By year's end, there will be no one left capable of challenging you. The war will end, and you will be in your rightful place."
"Grand Secretary," the Emperor rasped.
"Your Majesty," replied Kasai, voice muffled by the floor.
"Raise this man to the second tier of nobility," said the Emperor. "Once he has taken the appropriate oaths, confirm him as my new Emissary to Hilt. Let it be known that Saiyun Li Enaoshi will speak with my voice to Senior Batore Wabaro in military matters. Imperial Marshall."
"Your Majesty," Guan grunted, straining to keep his position.
"Gather an army in Lai Zeng and begin making preparations for a western offensive," the Emperor said. "Consult with Emissary Enaoshi on how to coordinate best with the Anku and the Vathlanri. Do not begin until we are sure Tsilen is making a move towards the Floating Palace."
"At once, your Majesty," replied Guan."I will gather my finest generals to me tonight."
"You are all dismissed, there is much work to be done!" the Emperor shouted.
Saiyun looked up, seeing the shadow sit down behind the curtain as the throne room exploded with movement as everyone scrambled to be the first to leave. He saw Guan and Kasai struggling to rise and he rushed up to help them get to their feet. Kasai shrugged him off and barked a terse order to come to his chambers after dinner before he hurried off.
Guan slapped Saiyun on the back, broad smile on his face. "I've been praying for a chance to ride out. Never thought they'd be answered by someone like you. Stick with me, and we'll be covered in glory, legends in our own time."
"I serve the Emperor," Saiyun said with a bow as he cast a glance at the Emperor. He had not moved from his throne and was still barely more than a shadow. "If returning him to his rightful throne will bring me glory, I will gladly accept it."
Thrones. Glory. Emperors. After his adventures, they seemed like such small things compared to the suffering he had seen. So long as the war that had split Qisin for centuries and consumed countless lives ended, he didn't care who held what throne.
-
Aven laid on a rooftop in the bustling town of Kwan Tai, carefully looking over the peak of the roof as the sun made its slow journey to the western horizon. The street below was packed with people rushing to make it home before night fell, and he watched as they came and went past a certain building. It was a fairly unremarkable tailors shop, a squat two-story building with a covered porch shading the front door. What was earning his attention with the tailed acolyte pacing back and forth on the porch, eyeing the people who passed by.
"If they're following my advice, that means," Aven mumbled to himself, shifting his position on the roof to look up the street. After some looking he spotted another tailed acolyte laying on another roof across the street from the tailors shop. Good, one to stand watch and draw attention, with one other person hidden nearby for support. That meant the other three were either in the shop helping the tailor pack up for the day or watching the other sides of the building.
A gentle disturbance in the air announced the arrival of Ji as she landed gently on the roof beside him. "I checked around. Talar isn't in any of his usual spots. He must be coming here."
"Cho and Sai have a good watch set up," Aven said, carefully pointing out the two acolytes. "They know Talar made a threat, so they're ready."
"Do you think we'll have to step in?" Ji whispered, laying beside Aven.
Aven sighed. "I hope not. You know the Elders will hold that against them."
"They can do it," Ji said firmly.
Nodding along Aven thought back to their tumultuous arrival at Ji's monastery. At first everyone was thrilled. Ji had heard the voice of En Chitei and came back with enough tales to keep the singers busy for weeks. But the reception cooled quickly when Ji began to make her demands. No Acolytes would be sent out into the world alone anymore. The long honored training regime was to be altered. New acolytes would receive instructions from a tailless thief. Ji's enlightenment meant that they couldn't throw her out, but that didn't mean they had to cooperate. The Elders had stonewalled her at every turn and no one who had made it back from their journey was willing to escort acolytes out into the world
So it had fallen to Aven and Ji.
For the first two months they had stayed with the five acolytes, keeping watch over them and scaring away the con men that were drawn to their naivete like flies to honey. When the two months were up, Aven and Ji had left them on their own to return to the monastery to report on their progress. The fact that they swallowed the lie so easily made Aven uneasy about leaving them, but they couldn't hover over them forever. For three months Aven and Ji had shadowed the five acolytes, keeping an eye on them in case an enemy too great for them to overcome showed itself. But the five had been good about picking their battles...well...until now.
"There he is, just turned the corner at the north end of the street," Ji whispered.
It didn't take long for Aven to find Talar's shaved head and fine robes in the crowd. The leader of the local criminal syndicate, Talar managed all the protection money, black market sales, burglary, and smuggling in Kwan Tai. He had carved out a nice little niche for himself until the acolytes decided he was their problem. For the last few weeks, they had been chasing down his thieves, beating up his thugs, and returning stolen goods. Now the tailor down the street was refusing to pay back a loan to Talar, and things were about to get ugly, especially since Talar was a Vao.
"What's he saying?" Ji asked as Talar stopped in front of the porch and called out.
Aven strained his ears, but the distance and sounds of the street made it impossible to hear. The wide berth everyone was giving Talar seemed to show that he was still feared. "Can't say. He's all smiles, but the tailor doesn't look too happy."
Ji watched as the conversation went back and forth, ending with Talar striding off into the crowd again. "He made a threat in person, that means he's going to act soon. Probably tonight. I think Gin will pick up on that."
"Look at that," Aven said as Gin stepped out on the porch. Gin wasn't the strongest acolyte in the monastery, but he was definitely the most observant. He'd quickly taken on the role of leader after Ji and Aven left and had gotten the others through some tough scrapes. Gin went back inside with the tailor, and Aven let out a sigh. "It's up to them."
Ji laid her hand on top of his, and the pair laid together until night fell and the town went to sleep. The red-streaked moon climbed high into the sky and the watch out front changed multiple times. Aven was taking his turn to sleep when Ji jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow. "Listen," she whispered.
It wasn't too hard to hear what she was talking about. Boisterous, out of tune singing echoed through the once quiet night. Three men stumbled down the street, trying to support each other as they belted out bawdy songs. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Aven asked.
"There's no tavern in that direction," replied Ji. "Distraction. Rui and Lee need to realize that."
Rui was standing watch on the porch and she locked eyes on the three drunks as they approached. Lee was on the roof across the street and holding his position. The drunks caught sight of Rui and started shouting crude things at her. "Good, don't talk, keep your awareness..." Aven mumbled as Rui did not speak to them and kept glancing up and down the street.
The drunks lingered in front of the porch, their bellowing only getting louder and louder the more Rui ignored them. The loudest one swaggered towards the porch and Rui tensed up, clenching her fists and bending her knees.
The sound of splintering wood tore through the night air. "Lee!" Ji gasped as a spray of splinters shot up from the roof he was hiding on. A shadowy figure lurked on the roof, fist sunk deep into the wood. The three drunks sobered up and sprinted away as fast as they could. Rui took a few steps into the street, calling out Lee's name as the figure leapt down from the roof. It looked vaguely like a person, but it had no head and its torso was broader and flatter than a regular man. It lashed out at Rui as she backed away down the street.
"Good, don't get yourself pinned down, keep your options open," Aven mumbled as Rui danced backwards, keeping out of range of the summon’s blows.
"There's Lee," Ji said, pointing as Lee raced out from an alleyway and launched himself into the fight. Gin emerged from the tailor’s shop a moment later to join the battle. Working together, the three of them kept the summon pinned in place as they fought carefully, keeping their distance.
A sudden flash of flickering orange light blazed from behind the tailor's shop in the dim moonlight. Gin shouted for Rui and Lee to keep going, and the three pressed their attack, pushing the summon further down the street.
The orange light threw wild shadows until it abruptly snuffed out. "We got him!" came Cho's excited shout from behind the tailor's shop.
The summon seemed to hear that and launched a frenzied attack at Gin and pushed past him, bolting away into the night. Cho and Sai emerged into the street, holding a struggling skinny man between. "He threw oil on the house and lit it, but we caught him before he could get away!" cheered Sai.
A warm feeling spread through Aven's chest as Lee raced off to fetch a guard. "They do listen," he said. "Once they finish up this journey we can have each of them run their own group of acolytes. The Elders can't ignore you forever."
"Ignore us," Ji said quietly, squeezing Aven's hand.
Aven rolled over to lay on his back and smiled at Ji, squeezing her hand back. "Us."