Island of Darkness (52 page)

“I would accept the Katana’s word,” replied the mayor. “Can you tell me that you can deliver it?”

“Certainly not,” answered Lyra, “but then again, I do not think the Katana’s word is worth much. Larst made many promises to me personally. Either his word is worthless, or the Katana is not Larst. Either way his word would mean nothing. Surely there is someone else’s word that you would be willing to accept as a guarantee?”

Mayor Ferde was silent for a while as he contemplated Lyra’s question. He felt confident that Lyra was trying to trap him. She seemed so confident that he would eventually agree to merge his city into the Sakova that the mayor began to wonder what she could know that he did not. Suddenly, StarWind’s words from her previous visit came back to him. He suspected that the Star of Sakova would try to suggest that the Khadorans could guarantee the protection of his city. The mayor knew that was nonsense, and a smile began to spread across his face.

“If you are going to suggest that the Khadorans would guarantee the peace for Campanil,” the mayor began, “I would never accept such a suggestion. There is absolutely no way that you can convince me that Emperor Marak would agree to such a bold move.”

Lyra smiled as she wove the air tunnel to Khadoratung. She did not speak when she felt the mage in Khadora grab the other end. The mage would know where the air tunnel was coming from and would send for Emperor Marak immediately. Lyra waited patiently.

“So you have no reply to my statement,” Mayor Ferde said to fill the awkward silence that had fallen over the room. “Where does that leave us? If you cannot guarantee the safety of my people, you cannot expect me to defect. I am still willing to offer a sort of truce. Deliver the food and I will keep my soldiers inside the city. Unless someone higher up overrules me, we will be at peace with each other. What more could you ask for?”

“She could ask for your surrender,” Emperor Marak said with authority.

The mayor nearly jumped out of his chair. His eyes darted first to Lyra and then StarWind. Lyra merely smiled.

“Emperor Marak,” Lyra said with familiarity, “I am so sorry to disturb you, but Mayor Ferde of Campanil fears that his city will be attacked by the Katana if he defects.”

“The mayor should be more concerned about what will happen if he does not surrender,” replied Emperor Marak. “I understand that my ship is still off the coast outside of Campanil. I am pleased that you have learned to seek peace before distributing the food. The reports from down there have been very heartening. How can I help this mayor make up his mind?”

“This cannot be real,” Mayor Ferde shook his head. “This is a trick, a magical trick.”

“Magic it is,” replied Emperor Marak, “but it is hardly a trick. It is called an air tunnel, and it allows the Khadorans and the Sakovans to speak over great distances. You should think about that for a moment, Mayor Ferde. As an Omungan, you face an enemy that can communicate instantly to all of her armies and cities. Her spies can instantly report troop movements of the Omungans. Were you a military man, I would not have to point out the obvious. The Sakovans are quite capable of surprise attacks, but the Omungans are not. The moment an army left Okata in your direction, I could order my ships to sea. Which do you think would arrive in Campanil first?”

“The answer to that question is not something that I would stake the lives of my people on,” retorted Mayor Ferde. “Are you willing to send troops right now to protect my city?”

“If the Star of Sakova requests Khadoran aid,” replied Emperor Marak, “she will have it, anywhere, anytime, she pleases. Is that what you want, Lyra? Should I send an army to Campanil?”

“That is not necessary at this time, Emperor Marak,” smiled Lyra. “Thank you for receiving my request for a conversation.”

“I always stand ready to assist you, Lyra,” replied Emperor Marak. “Please let me know what decision Mayor Ferde makes when you are done there.”

“I will,” promised Lyra as she broke the air tunnel.

“Why did you refuse his armies?” asked Mayor Ferde. “If that was really Emperor Marak, you could have assured my defection by bringing his troops here.”

“His troops are not needed,” replied Lyra. “While I treasure Emperor Marak’s support, I will not call upon his aid unless I am forced to.”

“Well you are forced to,” argued the mayor. “Campanil cannot defect without his support. What if General Didyk decides to come north? Or General Kapla turns around and heads south? I will not rule over a Sakovan city in the path of those huge armies. That would be sheer lunacy.”

“General Kapla’s army is heading south,” replied Lyra. “In fact, he is coming to Campanil.”

“See?” responded the mayor. “If I had defected, I would be shaking right now.”

“Would you?” posed the Star of Sakova. “Let me ask you this. Would the word of the Minister of Defense be enough to assure you that Omunga would not attack Campanil?”

“General Kapla’s word would be sufficient,” nodded the mayor, “but he would never give it to a Sakovan city.”

“Yes he would,” grinned Lyra. “In fact, his army is returning to Campanil to defend it against Omungan invasion.”

“I don’t understand,” puzzled Mayor Ferde. “Why would he protect Campanil from the Omungans?”

“Because he has seen the truth,” answered Lyra. “General Kapla is Sakovan now. His army was meant to protect Fortung and Gatong, but he is more needed in Campanil now.”

“You can’t be serious,” gasped the mayor. “I cannot imagine such a thing. He controls one fourth of Omunga’s armies.”

“You keep doubting my word,” frowned Lyra, “yet I have never spoken an untruth to you.”

“I mean no disrespect,” apologized the mayor, “but you are saying things that make my head spin. At some point in time, I have to demand verification before I can accept the spoken word.”

“Fair enough,” nodded Lyra. “General Kapla will be here tomorrow. You can ask him yourself. As for Emperor Marak’s involvement, you can speak to the captain of his ship when it arrives to deliver the food.”

“The food is being delivered on a Khadoran ship?” asked the mayor.

“One of Emperor Marak’s own ships,” nodded the Star of Sakova. “StarWind, send the signal to call the ship into port. It is time that the people of Campanil receive some food.”

StarWind nodded and wove an air tunnel and directed it to the ship off the coast. The mayor listened in amazement as he heard a woman answer StarWind’s request.

“There are good winds,” responded the voice. “We should dock within the hour.”

“Should I go meet the ship?” asked StarWind after she broke the connection.

“I think we will all go,” replied Lyra, “but first I want a definitive answer from Mayor Ferde. If all that I have said is true, will you join the Sakova, Mayor Ferde?”

“If the ship is indeed Khadoran,” nodded the mayor. “I will still want to speak with General Kapla when he arrives, but yes, I will accept your words as true. Campanil will become a Sakovan city. May the gods watch over us during this time. I do not want to lead my people astray.”

“There is only one god,” smiled Lyra, “and he is called Kaltara. I should know because he has blessed me with what I need to gather the people of Omunga and Sakova together. He will protect Campanil.”

“They are coming through the tunnel,” ThunderSword warned through an air tunnel.

“How can they?” replied MeadowTune. “Sakovan magic makes that impossible. They cannot find the tunnel entrance to StarCity.”

“Sakovan Magic only hides the entrance,” replied ThunderSword. “It does not prohibit anyone from entering the cave. One of them probably stumbled into the cave and discovered it. It does not matter now. Get troops up here fast to man the pyrons. We can hold them for some time if we can get the pyrons manned immediately.”

“I am passing the word now,” promised MeadowTune as the air tunnel winked out.

ThunderSword hid in his pyron, which was a carved-out niche in the wall of the cave. The long tunnel through the mountain was lined with the alcoves that only afforded protection in one direction. They were carved by the Sakovans ages ago as an added measure of protection when Star City was being built. Fighters could hide in the pyrons and safely shoot arrows or toss magical projectiles without fear of being overly exposed to the enemy. If the invaders did manage to push the Sakovans further back in the tunnel, the pyrons would be of no benefit to the attackers because they were wide open on the StarCity side.

ThunderSword wove another air tunnel and directed it towards the closer Sakovans who were also hiding in pyrons.

“Anyone here with magical projectile knowledge?” asked ThunderSword keeping his voice to a whisper.

“What do you need?” asked ValleyBreeze.

“The Omungans are moving cautiously,” replied ThunderSword, “but I wish to slow them down until more help arrives. Can you see them from your position?”

“Well enough,” answered ValleyBreeze as she stared at the distant torchlights. “How about some fire?”

“Perfect,” smiled ThunderSword. “Aim deep into them. I do not want this part of the tunnel to be illuminated.”

ValleyBreeze did not bother to reply. She aimed her fireball so it flew along the roof of the tunnel. It dropped well beyond the vanguard of the Omungans, and instant chaos enveloped the attackers. The tunnel flared into brilliance where the fireball struck among the attackers. Screams echoed through the tunnel as the Omungans sought to distance themselves from the burning flesh of their comrades.

Those behind the inferno retreated, but the vanguard surged forward into the darkness. A half dozen Sakovan arrows flew as one as the Omungans charged along the tunnel. The front row of the Omungans fell to the floor of the tunnel amid cries of agony and injury. A second volley of arrows immediately followed.

“They say that the dying can see a light at the end of a tunnel,” ValleyBreeze quipped out loud. “I wonder if it looks like this?”

ValleyBreeze’s hand released a ball of brilliant light. The ball sped towards the attackers, flattening into a disk as it traveled. The disk spread and sprouted blazing blades of light just before it sliced into the charging Omungans. The resulting screams were loud, but short.

“Warn us next time so we can close our eyes,” scowled ThunderSword. “I cannot see anything now.”

“Sorry,” ValleyBreeze replied sheepishly. “Cover your eyes. I plan to finish off the vanguard.”

The Sakovan mage waited a few seconds before unleashing her next spell. She was conditioned enough to avert her eyes as the brilliant light sped along the tunnel. She tossed one more spell and the tunnel grew quiet. Only the dim sounds of the wounded drifted in the air.

“I am done,” announced ValleyBreeze. “You archers can finish off the wounded.”

It was a few moments before the song of the first bowstring was heard. The Sakovan archers aimed by the sounds of the wounded and not by sight. Within moments the only sound was the distant shouting of the retreating Omungans.

“That will hold them for a while,” announced ThunderSword. “Where did you learn that spell?”

“The Chula shaman that Lyra brought with her when she was here last,” replied ValleyBreeze. “It is quite effective in an enclosed space such as this.”

“I can see that,” replied ThunderSword, “and it doesn’t waste arrows.”

“How long before they come again?” asked ValleyBreeze.

“Hard to tell,” admitted ThunderSword. “I suppose it will not be before the fires burn out. The problems as I see it is that there are far too many of them. We will need sleep eventually, but they can just send in fresh troops. We cannot hold this tunnel indefinitely.”

“We can, and we will,” asserted FalconEye from the safety of another pyron. “If we fail to hold this tunnel, all of StarCity will be destroyed. We can be relieved to get sleep just as well as the Omungans can. We just need to make sure that we keep our areas dark so that they cannot see what we are doing.”

* * *

“Come in,” smiled SunChaser as she saw who was at the door.

HawkShadow gazed in through the door as his eyes scanned the room before stepping through the doorway and leading SkyDancer with him.

“There is no one here,” SunChaser announced as she closed the door. “I told the servants to stay away until I recall them. Although they are loyal to me, I did not want them to see who was coming and going during these trying times.”

“Sounds like a safe approach to me,” nodded HawkShadow as his eyes continued to scan the interior of Cherri’s mansion. “You live quite well here.”

“Of course,” grinned SunChaser. “How else can I portray myself as the widow of a high ranking Omungan official? Would you like something to eat?”

“I sure would,” volunteered SkyDancer. “There is nothing to eat in Omunga. Do you have enough?”

“The rich are never affected by famine,” shrugged SunChaser. “Perhaps that is why they are so out of touch with the common citizen. Anyway, my kitchen is well stocked. I could not entertain the likes of the Minister of Defense if that were not so.”

“Have you kept in touch with StarCity?” asked HawkShadow as SunChaser led the new arrivals into the dining room.

“Of course,” nodded SunChaser. “I report in several times a day. I cannot afford to be lax in that regard. Okata is where the outcome of this war will be determined.”

“Perhaps,” shrugged the Sakovan assassin. “What happens at StarCity could also determine the outcome.”

“StarCity is under attack right now,” notified SunChaser. “There is fighting within the tunnel.”

“Then we must be swift with whatever we intend to do here,” SkyDancer interjected with a sense of urgency.

“Swift, but not hasty,” smiled SunChaser. “HawkShadow, go upstairs and enter the room at the top of the stairs. There are clothes in there for you. Put them on and come back down.”

HawkShadow looked at SunChaser questioningly, but she ignored him and went to the kitchen to get some food for her guests. When she returned, SunChaser placed bowls of salad on the table.

“That will get you started,” SunChaser smiled at SkyDancer. “I have some clova left over, but it is still being heated. It won’t be long.”