death's Knight 7

 

Chapter 7

 

Phaedros was not displeased that much of the early journey was up river. It meant the chance to rest after his first long walk ever. And it was only a mile or so; Harkon had said so. Phaedros was horrified at how hard he found it, and used some of his magical power to enable him to do it. He had to get used to two wolves along as well, Konisia, who was bonded to Kaz, and Lycaura, a golden-pelted wolf who was bonded to Rynn, who dyed her hair to match her wolf. It was striking with her blue skin.

He was also horrified to find that when the Alethosi drilled in the mornings, he was made to look a fool, even by their least experienced member, the trógling, Rynn. He was only able to beat the two lay member trógling,  Kvag and Dran.

“Someone has let you down very badly,” said Protasion.  “You’re still using those set poses with silly names, which nobody serious about war has used in two hundred years.”

“I was told I was amazing, and a prodigy,” gasped Phaedros, who was close to sobbing.

“We’ll sort you out, and then you can duel those who let you down and give them a good whacking,” said Rynn, kindly.

“It’ll be a world of hurt; Harkon is cruel to be kind,” said Kaz. “He will punish your weak points, to make sure that you have bruises, not deep cuts. I can’t say any of us are impressed by any family which let you be so abused – for it’s abuse as surely as if you were beaten and treated badly.”

“But why would they be so foolish? I don’t understand,” said Phaedros. “I am sure my father would have richly rewarded anyone who taught me properly. I… I didn’t have to learn my lessons properly; if I was naughty, there was a slave-boy who was beaten for me. I didn’t like that, though, so I did try to behave properly.”

“That does you credit, Phaedros,” said Harkon. “I am sure we are all proud of you for that. What happened to him?”

“When I was fourteen, and released from my teachers, he was sold,” said Phaedros. “I was told I should be ashamed because I cried; I was told that I should not be fond of a slave as they were nobody. But Mitros was my companion and friend.  The only friend I ever had, because he had to spend time with me to help me learn, or be beaten.”

“It is to be hoped that, as he was then highly educated, he was at least sold as a tutor where he would be better treated than many slaves,” said Protasion. “Is your father a cold, remote man?”

“I… well, I don’t really know him,” admitted Phaedros. “He has visited to test me from time to time, but I cannot say I know him well. But… but he is important, and he does not have much time.”

“A man who makes enough time to sire a son but does not make time to be a father to him is despicable,” said Protasion. “My father always time for me, and he is a very busy man.”

 

“Your priest is insolent,” said Pollonis, huffily. “He has no idea.”

“I can’t see Kaz sitting still for me treating a child of ours as you have that child of yours,” said Alethos. “I stand by my priest, cousin. You’ve let him down badly. Look at the way he fights!”

“What’s wrong with the way he fights? He knows all the forms and postures.”

“Which will get him killed.  Didn’t you see how easily even my youngest children here defeated him? He’s nothing but a pretty statue which can move a little, and believe me, dear coz, that does not work in the real world. And if you still use those archaic forms, it’ll kill you if we get into pitched battle with Selen and her cohorts.”

Pollonis paled.

“I will instruct the boy that your tools have my trust to teach him. I am sure his mother meant well; she is very devout.”

“I fancy we’re about to hear Harkon on the subject.”

 

Harkon patted Phaedros on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, lad, we can get you up to speed. I fancy your family is one of those old, hidebound ones where looking good is more important than being good, and you are supposed to be surrounded by a phalanx of bodyguard.”

“Why, yes, I am,” said Phaedros. “Only when my father appeared to me, and told me that this must be what the prophecy about me meant, I sneaked out with only a few close servants, leaving a note.”

“Oh, my giddy aunt,” groaned Harkon. His eyes went blank for a moment as he communicated with the spirit of his brother, who was his familiar spirt. “I’ve sent word back to Pythas to find out who you are and send word back to your mother, before letting your servants return, as they will doubtless be blamed. Which is only the first and most vital of what you just said which needs to be unpacked.”

Phaedros’s eyes wided.

“Oh, dear! Mother might have them executed,” he said. “I was expecting to have them with me.”

“Well, they’ll get a working holiday in our temple,” said Harkon. “So long as your body servant doesn’t try to curl Pythas’s hair or help him on the stool, it should be fine.”

“I homed in on ‘my father appeared to me,’” said Kaz. “And assuming that we have a demigod in our midst, there’s also the question of whether jealousy amongst his so-called advisors and tutors, toenail-primpers and pube-combers also has led to them stultifying the poor little swipe for wanting the kudos of being essential along with not wanting him to be too independent.”

“You have no social graces at all, Daykaz,” said Phaedros.

“No,” said Kaz. “I’m a soldier and I tell it like it is. And I’m angry on your behalf that you need us to bring you up. And please call me Kaz, in case anyone hears.”

“I…” began Phaedros. Then he flushed. “Maybe I do need bringing up, at that. Thank you for caring enough to do so, and being ready to help me.”

“Well, if I called a god a piss-poor father, I stand by my words,” said Protasion. “I assume there was a prophecy which made him seek out your mother, and he thought that unloading his august testicles was enough to fulfil it.  I only hope that his inaction hasn’t loused up things for our Kaz, and spoiled our chances to bring down the offspring of the Chaos Wolf.”

“For what it is worth, I pledge my life to the aid of the Daykaz,” said Phaedros. “What was that chime?”

“Fate, getting happy,” said Kaz. “She’s obliged to do it by the universe so we might expect some opposition.”

 

“Another piece is on the board!” cried Selen.

“Oh, it is Pollonis’s son,” said Daze. “I have taken steps to neutralise him. His mother is as stupid as a stump, though her titties are nice… not as nice as yours, of course,” he added, hurriedly. His sister was jealous.  “I appeared to her in the guise of Pollonis, after the brat was born, because of the prophecy that her offspring with the god of Light would help reveal the Daykaz. I healed her from the pains of birthing and made sure she could not conceive again and then screwed her royally to get her in the right mood. I told her that he did not need much training as he would have instinctive knowledge, and must not be pushed hard or he would damage his godly core.”

“Oh, well done, brother,” said Selen. “I wonder why he is with Alethosi?

“The powerful one there is one called Harkon,” said Daze. “But I know how to neutralise him, and to cause a rift between the Alethosi and the Solosians. It will be easy.”

“Oh, tell me, my brother!” cried Selen.

Daze sniggered.

 

 

“I am not pleased with my mother-in-law elect,” said Kaz. “I just got one of those prophetic things in my head. The words went, The lord of Truth must remember always to be True, and to judge as he sees truly regardless of the consequences to himself. If he is not true to himself all will be lost in fire and lightning, destruction and disruption.  So not at all cryptic.”

“I have been told that the men of the East curse ‘May you live in interesting times,” said Harkon, cheerfully. “That could refer to any of us, or Pythas, or even Alethos himself.”

“It may refer to his choice when we are able to be together,” said Kaz, her skin paling to light blue. “If… if he is as… neglectful as Phaedros’s father, I will not have the strength….”

“Never!” said Alethos’s voice in her mind. “I will learn lessons from my cousin’s failings; but moreover, I will want to spend time with you. I love you; you are more than a womb to fulfil prophecy, you are my Chosen and my Beloved.”

Kaz heaved a sigh of relief, projecting her own feelings of love.

“That potential problem averted?” said Harkon.

“It is,” said Kaz.

 

The being appeared to be the constellation Griffin, who bowed to three goddesses, and presented a golden egg.

“When this hatches, it will be my fair daughter who will both be the steed and the counsellor of much wisdom, to the fairest and most beautiful of you all; the three of you must seek out a mortal, a worshipper of Alethos, god of Truth, and ask him to judge him. But you must give him three days in which to choose,” said the apparent bird-lion.

The three goddesses squealed in delight at the beautiful thing. And it was beautiful; the surface of the egg was not plain gold, but shades of gold in an iridescent swirl, shifting and changing hypnotically.

“Why, we know who to seek,” said Thyella, goddess of lightning and wildfire, the Celestial Virgin. “There was a petition to grandfather by some Alethosi; his name escapes me.”

“It is Harkon,” purred Zeandine, goddess of Spring and lust. “I know I can sway his choice.”

“He will favour me, for a man always loves a woman who can be sure his belly is full,” said Secalia, a grain goddess. “With such bounty, his armies will always conquer, and he will be king of all the city states, and the north.”

Thyella frowned. She must find a way to compete with her cousins! What could she offer the stern Glyph-Lord-Priest?

Daze smirked.

He was not sure which one Harkon would choose; but that did not matter. If he chose to become a firebrand and muster armies, assured of food to feed his armies, he must surely come into conflict with the full might of the Selenite Empire, which would put him down before he got very far. If, as he suspected, Zeandine found him some lovely woman, with luck she would persuade him to carry off a woman in such a was as to incite a war. As to Thyella… well, she was hot of temper, and could be capricious, anything she used to bribe him would certainly cause trouble, and might involve the wind gods. He sneaked away to change back to his usual form, where he could laugh his fill.

Now wait and see Harkon find this goddess of a new dawn!

 

 

The authorities of Sideropolis knew the Alethosi and greeted them warmly when their ship docked.

“Off back to the Ghostlands?” asked the official who welcomed them onto the dockside.

“Yes, we have a mission there,” said Harkon. “How’s the trade from the community we set up?”

“Oh, very good,” said the official. “Those trógling you rescued from slavery are hard workers, and we have all manner of luxury goods, and not just what’s grown in the reclaimed fields; some of ʼem don’t like the light and have tunnelled into the mountains; we get exotic mushrooms year round, and spider-silk cloth which is light, but warm if needed, and it takes enchantments well.”

“It’s something some have been trained to do by the Toróg, to handle spiders,” said Kaz. “Harvesting the silk of outsize spiders is one of the high-end industries of the Toróg, but they make trógling do it where possible. The spiders find the Toróg delicious, and prefer to eat them rather than co-operate with them.”

“And trógling are not delicious?” asked the official.

“When you’re a slave, you learn ways to survive,” said Kaz. “Silk-collectors learned long ago that if they have been bitten by a smaller spider, and survive its venom, they become disgusting as meat. The spiders are aware that trógling are inedible.”

“Clever!” said the official. “The more I learn about trógling, the more I find to respect.”

“Thank you,” said Kaz.

 

Death's Knight 6

 

Chapter 6

 

“I can’t of course go off to the Ghostlands until the war is over,” said Kaz, to Pythas when they reported.

“Incorrect,” said Pythas. “Your questing is as much a part of the war as fighting Selenite soldiery.  You need to set off and collect what you can. You want that curse falling on you on the winter solstice when the Trickster feels he has most power.”

“If travelling in time, does it matter when I go so long as I arrive at the right time?” said Kaz.

“Yes, it does, actually,” said Pythas. “I had a lecture from Lady Fate, who bent my ear about keeping you in one piece when under pressure. You need to go on the winter solstice, and if that means gathering things or people together for that, then the longer allowed for that, the better. And I want you sorting that out as soon as possible. Knowing that you have to go there to seek knowledge fills in why you have to go somewhere is somewhat comforting if noisy.”

“She likes her chimes,” said Kaz.  “I need to choose who will go with me.  Harkon, of course, and Protasion, because he can read Old High Sunscript.  Pythas, why does Protasion have a surname, and Chrysandion, Erytheon, and Xanthos only have virtue names? I’d have thought that anyone as hidebound as the Solosi and Pollonians would want to promote those of the aristocracy, and most of the local aristocracy join them.”

“Oh, they do have established surnames,” said Pythas. “It’s tradition in the cult of Solos and Pollonis to take a virtue name on initiation which may change when reaching glyph rank but usually stays the same; it’s supposed to allow members to rise through virtue not as a result of famous names.  As it happens, they are related to Protasion; his father, Aristides Chrysandos is first cousin to Chrysandion and Erytheon, their fathers, Protasion and Chryxanthion are brothers.  I have some family ties; my surname is Hyperios, but like Protasion, I made other choices. Xanthos is my cousin, though his surname is Phaodoros.”

“I imagine everyone is related to some degree?” asked Harkon.

“Yes, that’s true,” said Pythas. “We don’t trouble with either surnames or virtue names under Alethos, save some taken by the very young who want to sound bigger. It’s discouraged, unless there are two people who share a name.  I had a young cousin who was named the family name of Pythas who joined us for a while. I was already Pythas, but he wanted to be known as Pythas Mighty-Sword.  I’m afraid his fellows did not take that well, and he was known as Pythas Pork-Sword, Pythas Mini-Sword, Baby-face Pythas, and Pi-Face. I stayed out of it; but he still blamed me, and called for three blows of anger. I accepted for family harmony, but he missed every single one. He decamped to the Pollosians, where he tried to be Pythas Mighty-Spear, and got some of the same sort of derogatory misnomers. He went into university in the end and boasted of his martial training until he tried to molest a female student, who threw him down the stairs.”

“Embarrassing sort of cousin,” said Kaz.

Pythas shrugged.

“He’s a good bad example,” he said.

“It’s the Ombrosi who come up with the weirdest of virtue names,” rumbled Harkon. “I’ve heard of Corvonos Before-Whom-Even-Lycos-Trembles, though I did hear he thought Lycos would tremble less if Corvonos was eaten, and left his companions in a hurry when they encountered Lycoids.”

“Aryaton Thunder-Bringer, Aiella Storm-Walker, Morkos Who-Splits-The-Sky-With-Anger,” said Kaz. “They have no idea how much we laugh at them.”

“Which brings us no further in deciding who will go,” said Harkon

“I should think it ought to be the usual group,” said Kaz. “You, Protasion, Lelyn, Evgon, Kuros, Svargia and Rynn, and Vulk and Polia too. We might take a couple of trógling neophytes to see to the mules, as Orsida and Thanato seem to enjoy adventures.”

“And a contingent of Sunfolk,” said Pythas.

Kaz sniggered.

“Well, one thing I wager, we won’t have an extra member of the party playing down who he really is, the way Alethos pretended to be a simple initiate named Alathan,” she said. “Pollonis is probably too up himself to mingle with mortals.”

 

Alethos sniggered as he relayed his beloved’s words to Pollonis.

“And why would I want to mingle with mortals, anyway, cousin?” asked Pollonis. “I will keep my eye on them. It will suffice. I will chose a suitable champion.”

“I wouldn’t send Xanthos, if I was you,” said Alethos, dryly. “He insulted my Kaz, and she folded and ironed him without breaking out into a sweat. A true warrior, she can even use laundry cantrips offensively.”

“It’s improper,” sniffed Pollonis. “I’ll find someone.”

Alethos smiled.

 

The newcomer was a handsome, golden-haired young man, who rode into the temple yard, accompanied by four other men, in charge of as many pack ponies as well as their own mounts.

He greeted Kaz merrily.

“Thou art the Daykaz; thy coming has been long awaited and I live to serve, and place myself in thy hands.  My name is Phaedros, and I acknowledge an Alethosan affair by coming alone.”

Kaz looked pointedly at the four men with him.

“Your speech is accented; maybe if our language is strange to you, you have misunderstood? Around here, five people do not constitute ‘alone,’” she said.

“Eh? But I am alone. I have no honour guard, only a few servants, they are not cult warriors,” said Phaedros.

“Alethos’s bollocks! What on earth do you need servants for? What is Chrysandion about insulting us by sending someone so feeble?” exploded Kaz.

“Why, Mistress Daykaz, thou art wounding in such speech, and it likes me not,” said Phaedros. “In what way can it be that you consider me feeble, when  hast not seen me spar? I am equal to any in feats of arms and superior to most.”

“Oh, he is going to be a bundle of fun,” Rynn muttered to Evgon.

“I told you that you wouldn’t want to be with the Sun Fondlers, you have to be born in the cult of Solos to be permitted to worship him not Pollonis, and the upper crust talk like that. Protasion lost the speech very quickly,” Evgon replied.

“You might well be a competent warrior, and still be feeble if you need four nursemaids to see to your comforts,” said Kaz. “What in Hell do you expect servants to do?”

“Oh, they see to my horse, cook my meals, set up my tent, mend my clothes and so-on,” said Phaedros. “Surely you have your own servants to do such things?”

“What a baby!” burst out Lelyn, in scorn. “What, do they also dig the hole for you to shit in, and wipe your bottom afterwards?”

“Of course,” said Phaedros.

Harkon cleared his throat.

“We are not used to dealing with precious man-children here,” he said. “This is a serious mission, you know, not a children’s walking party. And walking you will be; we go places horses cannot go, and we cannot afford time to hunt to feed extraneous civilians.  We take our turns in cooking, in standing guard, in washing dishes, in collecting wood for the cookfire and all the other camp chores. Rynn, go and purchase another mule, for we’ll need to take some of Phaedros’s kit along. I’ll go through what you have there and tell you what you may bring, but I’m not going to be weighed down by unnecessary baggage and that includes the civilians. Unless one is an expert hunter or forager, or tracker?”

“Er… no?” said Phaedros. “They are just body servants. One is my cook, one my groom, the others shave me, bathe me, and wait on me. My mother has always insisted I need servants for my status. Do you know who I am?”

Kaz patted him kindly on the arm.

“You’re the poor sap who means well, and who has been wished on us by the Pollonisi, who want to get rid of you and are laughing up their sleeves at using you to sabotage the mission because they resent having a trógling as the Daykaz and they want to see me fall, failing to realise that the key to the power of the Trickster comes from the souls of my people who are stolen by him,” she said. “But we will have the last laugh, and enable you to do so too, because we’ll teach you the ropes, and you will soon learn. Don’t worry; we all started out spoiling porridge, and eating lumps of grass and earth because we did not know how to clean plates properly. Eating your own mistakes is a marvellous teacher.  You will be able to show those fools a thing or two when you return.”

“Er… thank you,” said Phaedros, taken aback. “I… do you mean they have been laughing at me covertly because my mother was insistent that I be aware of my status?”

“More than likely,” said Kaz. “Here, we will laugh to your face and make it kindly teasing to help you to learn. Honestly! It is not fair on you not to tell you what you need to learn, it is wrong to trammel anyone and refuse them education, be it for a mistaken idea of your consequence, or for a slave. I suggest we don’t even ask why people think you important and treat you as a comrade who needs a little help I hope your boots fit well.”

“Yes, they have been made to measure,” said Phaedros.

“Good; you should not get too many blisters walking, then.”

 

“That’s my son your chosen is abusing! Why should I not strike all that group blind?” demanded Pollonis, petulantly.

“Because you aren’t unfair, cousin?” said Alethos. “My Chosen and her companions do him a favour. Your people have treated him as royalty and as such have failed to address his needs.  I am amazed he is as sunny-natured as he is.”

“His governess made him mind her,” said Pollonis.

“Not, apparently, his mother,” said Alethos. “I wonder how good he really is at martial endeavour? I fancy his mother is a fool. Priestess, no martial training?”

“She is the daughter of one of my seers,” snapped Pollonis. “Her father foresaw that her child would bring forth the Daykaz.  Everyone assumed he would be the sire of the Daykaz and he has been raised in seclusion. Your Beloved’s revelation was a shock to all.  Now we are confused about how he could bring forth the Daykaz as she is known already.”

“I would have thought it was blindingly obvious,” said Alethos, sarcastically. “She needs the ritual and the tie to time through your father to go to where and when she must be to do what she must do, and it is his action in facilitating that time shift which will bring forth the Daykaz and permit her to truly become the Dawning.”

“Oh!” said Pollonis.

Alethos hid a smirk at the concept of any one of Kaz’s friends patting him kindly on the back and telling him to leave thinking to those who had the equipment for it. The elder gods could be very limited. As he himself had been.

“Well, he will have help,” said Alethos.

“Yes; and though he has natural talent, you are correct; his tutors have oft times permitted him to win.”

“His lessons will be rough but kindly,” said Alethos.

 

Phaedros was having a lesson in what was considered essential, and what was not. He was aghast to have most of what he considered necessary for his well-being to be discarded. His servants made little sounds of distress as Harkon ruthlessly searched out two spare sets of undergarments, a plain complete change of clothes and extra cloak, and discarded everything else from his chests of clothing.  He was provided with another tunic and a pair of trews from the Alethosan poor bag, which were hard-wearing.

“Easier for pushing through brambles and the like,” said Harkon. Phaedros’s tent was discarded, being a thing of great gaudiness, with poles, and a folding bed to go in it.

“But what will his mightiness sleep on?” wailed one of the servants.

“The rest of us use the ground,” said Harkon. “A couple of tarpaulins and a blanket serve well enough. He will want his own trail kettles as well, his own tinware plate and what in the name of all the gods is this rubbish?”

This rubbish was a full dinner set of fine porcelain tableware.

“I’ll kit him out,” said Lelyn. “Bedroll, dinner roll, trail rations. Don’t tell me one of those hampers is full of fine food and wine?”

“But yes, lady, of course,” said the servant. “What else is he to eat?”

“Porridge, onion, and any meat we catch,” said Lelyn. “Poor little rich boy! Rynn, you’re the junior, help our poor Phaedros out, but don’t let him bamboozle you into doing things for him. Teach him how to use a shovel, but make him dig his own holes; we’ve all learned.”

“You can keep your fine paper wipes while you learn other things,” said Harkon. “We do start out with some, but I’ll show you which leaves can be used.”

“You can use leaves?” said Phaedros.

“You’ll tell me next you didn’t know that herbs for eating grow wild,” said Harkon.

“I didn’t know,” said Phaedros, meekly.

“Solos and Zea provide all,” said Harkon. “And we give them thanks daily for it.”

 

Death's Knight 5

 

Chapter 5

 

“How many men did you leave securing the barracks, and what have you done with the prisoners?” asked Pythas of Xanthos and Erippion.

They stared at him.

“What do you mean, securing the barracks?” said Erippion.

“Well, judging by the way you were celebrating, you considered it a victory,” said Pythas. “Did you then kill all the Selenite soldiers, that you did not feel a need to leave a guard force in charge?”

“It was a raid; we went through looking for the hostages, and when we did not find them, we withdrew,” said Xanthos.

“And you call yourself a soldier?” said Pythas, in scorn. “Always secure your position when you withdraw! You have left the enemy behind you; how do you know they are not retaliating in your temple or on other townsfolk right now? I don’t expect a follower of Windybreeches to have much in the way of discipline, but I expect the followers of Pollonis to be actually capable of warfare, not tribal raiding.”

“Hey! You’re insulting my god!” said Erippion.

“Your god could prove me wrong by making people like you work with the rest of us against the Blood Moon, instead of getting windy about individual insults,” said Pythas. “We need to remember who the enemy is, and you Skyhealers need to get a grip on which chaos is evil, and which is curable. Remember, killing an enemy is one up; making an enemy into an ally is two up. We now have unparalleled night fighters in our Wolfen, and a highly-trained army of trógling wolf-riders, who have everything to fight for.”

“Trógling wolf-riders? Good to send out to be slaughtered and nothing…awp!” Erippion’s ear was pinned to the high back of his chair by Kaz’s knife.

“Trógling are fast, can operate in total darkness, and are fanatical in our worship of Alethos who promises us somewhere to go in death other than the eternal torture at the hands of the Trickster,” said Kaz. “Trógling lives matter, you big windbag, and your god also accepts my people and protects them, so try talking to him from time to time instead of wanking your own ego.”

“You are fined for drawing weapon in the council chamber, Glyph Lord Kaz,” said Chrysandion.

Kaz bowed.

“Of course. I apologise. I am sick of hearing my people denigrated by idiots,” she said. “We are a slave race and raised to cringe, but some of us can get over that. Moreover, though we are born of darkness, those of us who are free appreciate mighty Solos and his light, which gives life to all. We are creatures not of dark but of shadow.”

“Xanthos, I want to see you helping to train trógling spearmen,” said Chrysandion. “And go right now to secure the Selenite barracks. You have become complacent; but we are now on a war footing, and leading the free world.”

“Yes, my lord,” said Xanthos, who bowed to no man but the leader of his god’s father’s temple. He did not want to have Pythas placed over him as general, but had a sneaking suspicion that the old Alethosian had forgotten more about warcraft than he had ever learned, in a world where policing the streets was the main occupation of his cult, and keeping aloof from the Selenite occupation force. “How long have you been planning this moment, Pythas?” he asked.

“Since the Selenites moved in because we could not get a consensus between the cults to fight them,” said Pythas.

“Shit,” said Xanthos.

“Yes; and we’ve taken too much of it, and whatever our differences, we know who to blame.”

“Hell, yes!” said Erippion. “I forgive your knife, trógling, but will you please remove it?”

Kaz came and did so, absently healing his ear.

“The name is Kaz,” she said. “Or Daykaz if you go by prophecy.”

The sun-seer sat up straight.

“Death’s knight comes from the shadows to lead the oppressed to overwhelm the blood wolf and tear down the maze of the Riddler. Only by a quest through time can the curse which is a blessing be spoken, for the curse was made with the idea, and the idea was made flesh, and the flesh became ideal and the ideal will be blessed by the curse.”

The chime made everyone but Kaz and Pythas jump.

“I do wish seers could manage to say things straight,” said Kaz.

“Dear me, how very singular,” said Chrysandion. “What was that chime?”

“It’s Fate’s way of saying that I was a good little game-piece to say the right thing to set a seer off,” said Kaz, with a grimace. “Like it or not, we are beings of shadow and Pollonis is just going to have to accept that.”

“What is all this about curses and blessings?” demanded Chrysandion. “You don’t seem surprised.”

“I’ve been getting used to being the object of prophecy for nearly four years, my lord,” said Kaz. “The Daywalker brings in a new dawn, with joy for the cursed, and the ending of curses, the healing of the land and the moon. The Daywalker brings death, and truth, and life, andlove; and she shall be cursed to live forever and desire Death; but the curse shall become a blessing, indeed,”

“Most singular indeed,” said Chrysandion.  “Live forever and desire Death! Can this be like the constellation of the Old Man?”

“I know its meaning,” said Kaz. “I embrace my fate with acceptance and thank Alethos for being my god. Incidentally, we secured all those whom we did not kill at the execution ground.  And it is my advice to disarm the lot of them and throw them barefoot and with one cloak each only to make their way back to some other barracks. By the time they get there, most of them won’t be in fighting shape.”

“It’s a way to get rid of them,” said Pythas.

“I agree,” said Chrysandion. “Let it be done, and also to those taken at the barracks,” he added.

 

oOoOo

 

The long, sorry column of Selenites included the wounded; and there were carts for the immobile which were harnessed to the fitter members of their fellows. Some swore vengeance, some were just amazed that the rule of the Selenites was being rejected by the locals, who should be grateful for such enlightened rule and contact with civilisation. They were laughed at. Their horses were confiscated.

“We shoved them out of the East gate onto the road to Agorakome, but if I was them, I’d divert north to Kallos,” said Kaz. “It’s two thirds the distance and if they got to Kallos, they could warn the garrison there that they are now cut off from the Empire. And if I were the Kallosian governor, I’d pull everyone out of Kallos to try to re-take Mesolimnos, which is strategically more important, controlling trade from the plains and from the biggest iron mines in the world. Not to mention the controlling of the port on Lake Hudrogeminas and therefore all the trade from the Toróg mountains. Kallos may have the northern trade and a lot of fish, but it doesn’t go anywhere without going through Mesolimnos.”

“I’ll have the wolves watch them,” said Pythas. “It’s as well they don’t have a leader who thinks like you.”

“At the moment, nobody has asserted himself as leader, and they are too shocked to think,” said Kaz. “It’s a shame the Commandant  of Alethos in Kallos is an idiot; if they only followed our example it would be good.”

“I fancy Alethos is going to have a word with him; and Erppion has taken a ship to Kallos to speak to his counterpart there. The Selenite hold on Kallos is going to be disrupted if the Knights of the Clear Starlight get going, without being able to call on the garrison here.”

Kaz sniggered.

“And that might be their first intimation that we kicked them out.”

“And don’t forget, we only succeeded because of a lot of collaboration, and the anger of the townsfolk over the high-handed seizure of hostages. I believe a lot of Selenite soldiery billeted in the city were dragged in, well beaten once it became apparent that there were battles being won,” put in Harkon.

“I think I need to speak to LightfatherChrysandion,” said Kaz. “And something tells me I need Harkon with me; I want to petition Solos directly.”

“I’ll pass your request; the Solosians do like their protocols to be followed,” said Pythas.

 

It was a few days later that Kaz and Harkon walked into the temple of Solos, and Kaz reined in her temper at some of the most unpleasant comments about dirty creatures of darkness.

They were shown, unwillingly, to Chrysandion’s office.

“I agreed to see you as you are a creature of prophecy,” said Chrysandion. “What is it?”

“Good, I am glad you are willing to come to the point,” said Kaz. “I need to directly petition Mighty Solos and his son Pollonis, about my people since we don’t want to be considered as Toróg and object to being called creatures of darkness.”

“Out of the question!” snapped Chrysandion.

“So, you want the Selenites and Daze to win?” asked Kaz. “I thought you were pledged to oppose them?”

“We are. And we don’t need the dubious aid of ….”

“Of the Daykaz? Don’t you have any writings about the Dawning?” asked Kaz.

“Well, yes, we are awaiting the birth of the Daykaz….”

Kaz gave him an impatient look.

“Are you blinding your common sense more than your seers blind their mundane sight?” she asked. “I am Daykaz. And your prophecies surely mention that aid to me will see success and failure to aid will end in disaster?”

“I… but we were expecting a child of one of the Sunlings,” said Chrysandion. “But I sense truth in your speech….”

“Just get Harkon and me to the Godplane in front of Solos and then we’ll do your thinking for you,” said Kaz.

“Tact, Kaz,” said Harkon.

“I’ve had enough of insults from these self-righteous ego-shiners,” said Kaz. “I want to go right to the top, without the interference of fumbling intermediaries who let a little power go to their heads and displace thought with the dizzying power of being able to say ‘no’ to people. I’m tempted to say, let’s go home and ask Alethos to take us. It’s no point trying to be polite to those with closed minds and constipated thought processes.”

“Glyph-Lord, you are not going out of your way to make friends,” said Chrysandion.

“When I get the impression you don’t care to be friends, are you surprised?” said Kaz, bitterly. “I’ve had enough of prejudice just because I’m small, and because most trógling are weak and ineffectual. I’m not going to cringe and beg. I have as much right to exist as you do.”

Chrysandion gave a rueful smile.

“I like your pride, you stiff-necked Alethosian, you. I will pray to my god and prepare him for your petition, and then I will take you.”

Kaz bowed.

“Thank you, then; and I apologise for thinking that I could not reach you. I have had to listen to some very hurtful comments from your underlings, some of whom are definitely not as scrupulous of their cleanliness as I am, yet call me dirty.”

“I am sorry that this prejudice stands; I will be having words. I will have my brother brought to assist my prayers; Solos thinks much of his Sun-Seers, and will listen to him, too.”

 

 

 

 

Taught the proper forms of worship to participate in prayer to Solos, Harkon and Kaz performed the ritual which enabled their spirits to leave their bodies and stand in the Halls of Everlasting Light. Here, the god Solos sat on his golden throne, raised above those around him by several steps. Pollonis stood protectively at its base, and various lesser gods and goddesses made up the premier god’s court. Kaz dropped to one knee and bowed her head, before rising to make her petition.

“Mighty Solos, my petition is in two parts; and the first part is for your people and those of Pollonis to stop classifying trógling as creatures of the dark. We want our freedom from the Toróg, and for which I quest, to make us a separate race; we are neither as much creatures of darkness as the Toróg, nor are we fully creatures of light like humans, being weaker in our senses in either environment, but able to cope in both. More, we are creatures of shadow, and I will have to learn and make a new glyph for that…” she tailed off as the usual chime from Fate informed her that this was a good idea. She grimaced. “As you have heard, Lord Solos, Fate likes that idea, so I hope you will do so, too. It gives my people more places for refuge than my own god.”

“I do not comprehend this… Shadow,” said Solos.

“It sits between light and dark,” said Kaz.

“Let me,” said Harkon. “Mighty Solos, we forgot that a shadow is something you have never seen and will never see.  When rays of light strike an object, all that is behind that object is obscured from the light, but because there is always some light, reflecting into the part obscured, it is not dark, but shaded. Perhaps you will look into my mind and perceive shadows cast?”

“Canst thou take the weight of a god’s mind in thine?” asked Solos.

“I am sworn to support Kaz, the Daykaz; and if my mind is forfeit in showing you what she means, then it is a good trade. But I believe I can support it,” said Harkon.

“It were better that he should read my mind; I will not have you sacrifice yourself,” said Kaz.

“I stand with Harkon, to aid him,” said Alethos, coming forward. “I can visit here, and help out.” He brushed Kaz’s cheek with his hand.

“I like loyalty,” approved Solos.

His mind was indeed heavy in Harkon’s, but Harkon was used to feeling the press of his own god’s mind. He concentrated on the cast shadows of Kaz and those near to him.

“How extraordinary! Logical, of course, but we do not see what we do not comprehend. Thou hast given me knowledge this day,” said Solos. “I will consider access to my cult and that of my son for those Trógling who eschew the darkness.” There was much murmuring, not all of it friendly.

“You will receive many who will see it as a rebellion against the Toróg,” said Kaz, “And it will limit the power of the Trickster, who takes those souls who do not wish to worship Toróg gods. I thank you.”

“And the second part of the petition?” asked Solos. “I have not forgotten that thou hast enough impudence to ask more than one boon.”

“Mighty one, the second part will be to your benefit also,” said Kaz. “Your seer, Erytheon Sun-Toucher made a prophecy about me. It involves, as I understand it, travel or projection through time to a particular point. As the sun marks time for all, it seemed to me that your temples might contain rituals.”

“Such rituals were lost with the Cataclysm,” said Solos. “It is possible that some writings remain in temples in the  Ghostlands which may aid you. If thou wilt take a contingent of my people I grant thee leave to search my temples there, and bring back knowledge. Thy god has imparted that thou hast done so for thine own temple.”

“My thanks, mighty Solos,” said Kaz, bowing again. She wished that the female Sunlings, as the descendants of Solos were known, would not giggle together.

And then they were back in the temple.

“Thank you, Chrysandion,” said Kaz.

The chime sounded again.

“I believe you are welcome,” said Chrysandion, shaken.