The Pinnacle Of Empire (Book 6) (26 page)

“What will you do, Saxthor? Senoshesvasian troops are pouring into Mendenow unimpeded. They’ll soon be able to march north on Engwaniria itself. All that stands between us and that barbarian army is a few legions of untrained boys. Engwaniria has never been besieged, never.”

“Nindax is impetuous. He’s based his invasion solely on Hedrak’s information and promises of an easy victory. His overconfidence and greed have suppressed his caution. That will soon destroy him.”

“But Saxthor…”

“Don’t worry, my dear. I’ll handle Hedrak and Nindax, though I can’t pardon your cousin. You go look after the children. I’m sure they are beginning to hear rumors around the court. They’ll become frightened if you don’t reassure them. Try to keep your mother from poisoning Engwan’s mind any more than she has already.”

“Very well, Saxthor, but hurry back safe and sound to me.”

“One more thing, Tottiana, I’m going to leave Delia with you this time. She’s been with me through all the rough times, but she’s too old to go running to battles with me. Please, take good care of her in my absence.”

“I shall take the best of care of your baby, my love. Sometimes I get jealous of her being with you all the time.”

Saxthor laughed and patted Delia on the head beside him. Tottiana smiled and turned to leave. “Do send in Bodrin; I think he has arrived from Konnotan and may be waiting outside.”

*

Bodrin entered the reception room and closed the door firmly behind him. Saxthor returned to his desk and unrolled the maps of the western continent.

“How was your journey here?” Saxthor asked.

“Never mind the journey; what’s happened since we last talked?” Bodrin asked. “Things must be going well. I left the southern fleet just east of Mendenow, as you requested. It should be attacking the Velstorbokkin fleet at Mendenow by now.”

“It would seem our plan is succeeding; there must have been no leaks, well, other than the planned ones. Everyone, even Chatra Boktorian, is certain the bulk of the army is at Castilyernov Shinnadda, the rest at the Abysmal Pass, and the southern imperial fleet is at Zenobia. When Memlatec saw Hedrak at Nindax’s coronation in his visionary pool, I knew there would be a revolt soon enough. I knew Nindax was humoring that vain fool Hedrak for some reason, and the likely reason would be for revolt. Hedrak’s use could only be to open the door for an invasion as we discussed earlier.”

Bodrin lifted a goblet, saw it empty and returned it to the table. “Apparently, Hedrak didn’t suspect anything when you ordered the southern fleet to sail en mass east to pay an official state visit to your ally, King Zirkin. The unexpected opportunity must have raised his hopes and repressed his suspicions. They never suspected the generous notice, to be sure, Nindax was aware of it.”

Saxthor rang for refreshments. “They jumped at the chance to adjust Nindax’s plans to take advantage of the opportunity.”

“I anticipated Hedrak’s lust for power would suppress his suspicions and advance his actions by promoting the opportunity for invasion. That way, I controlled when and where Senoshesvas would attack,” Saxthor said.

Belnik entered with a tray laden with Bodrin’s favorite treats and withdrew. Saxthor filled two goblets and raised his in a toast. The two old friends tapped the silver goblets, savored the bouquet, and drank the excellent vintage.

“So, Nindax still suspects nothing?”

“He’s committed his army to the invasion through Mendenow. As you noted, right about now, the southern imperial fleet should be surprising the Velstorbokkin fleet. If the surprise is as anticipated, Nindax has used the Velstorbokkin war fleet as transports. They won’t be manned or armed to ward off our attack. Some of the enemy fleet has disgorged their troops. Our triremes should be able to overwhelm the transports, and with them, half the Senoshesvasian army. Cutting off retreat for those troops that have landed will demoralize them. I hope it doesn’t backfire and make them fight harder, knowing they have no means of escape.”

“Won’t it be a surprise to the Senoshesvasian troops, when they discover our imperial army they think is at Shinnadda is secretly encamped in the remote valley, half way between Engwaniria and Mendenow?”

“If all goes as planned, I’ll now lead the southern army to Mendenow and defeat Nindax’s army, leaving them with nowhere to go. Seeing their hopeless situation, they’ll surrender, freeing our legions for any intrusion from the north. Then I hope to capture Hedrak before he can escape to Varnakak and Nindax. His trial for treason and execution should end rebellion, at least for the time being. I can concentrate on obliterating the remaining Senoshesvasian army, rendering Nindax powerless.”

* * *

Dressed in his finest uniform, with metals dangling and glittering, Emperor Nindax paced the floor of the officer’s hall in the palace barracks with several senior generals.

“Where can the bumbling spy be? That sniveling worm Hedrak had better be right. Neuyokkasin’s southern fleet based at Mendenow had better be at Zenobia. If we’ve committed the southern army and the Velstorbokkin fleet to the invasion, and they’re caught in a sea battle, we’re in serious trouble.”

“Majesty, Hedrak knows he’s a dead man should his information be incorrect. Even the spy you finally got into Saxthor’s audience hall confirmed his legions are at this moment massing at Shinnadda.”

“How many times must we tell you?
Imperial Majesty
!”

“A thousand pardons, Imperial Majesty,” the general said, holding his deep bow as he retreated to the back of the hall.

“We must soon receive news of the invasion one way or the other. Where could that spy be? Bumbling fool, he’d better be dead rather than captured. We’re committed to this war now. It’s going to be the annihilation of the Powterosian Empire or our own.” Nindax turned to the general in charge of the northern operation. “The northern army… are the legions in the mountains just beyond Shinnadda ready for the invasion there when Saxthor recalls his legions to confront our southern army marching from Mendenow?”

“The northern army is in place, Majesty, Imperial Majesty,” the general said.

“And we have spies in the forests observing the enemy troops who will notify us when the Powterosian legions withdraw?”

“We do, Imperial Majesty,” the chatra confirmed.

“Perhaps we shall be lucky and have the southern army seize Engwaniria before that fool Saxthor can collect his troops to defend it. What say you to that, chatra?”

“Your Imperial Majesty’s wisdom and brilliance in military strategy are without limit.”

* * *

In his tower workroom, Xthilleon closed the dusty book he’d been reading since finding it in the abandoned royal library. Dust rolled out when the dry leather cover clapped shut. Morphenius watched his master from the shadows at the far end of the room. Xthilleon flicked the dust from his fingers then his robes.

“What’s that there book about?” Morphenius asked, unable to restrain his curiosity. He propped himself on his broom, watching Xthilleon for signs of attack for intruding on his deep thoughts.

“It was written by a Senoshesvasian grand duke, a royal understudy if you will, who had nothing else to do while waiting in line for the throne. He undertook the study of the flinik and the foodoo. It seems he uncovered the story of a much earlier court wizard, who at the king’s directive under took to develop monstrous creatures for an attack on the ancient Occintoc Empire. The attack failed, the creatures were mostly eradicated, and the king again retreated back behind these mountains. The flinik and the foodoo, two of the fiercest of the creatures the wizard developed, survived the war and escaped into the mountains where they’ve increased in considerable numbers since. They hate and fear wizards. That fear alone has kept them from attacking Senoshesvas ever since.” 

“So that’s why only folks that has a wizard with ‘-em to scare off them things can get through the pass.”

“Exactly,” Xthilleon said. “I remember hearing about the wizard developing an army of bizarre creatures. The king even succeeded in routing the Occintoc army at the initial engagement. The bizarre army was eventually defeated, but they were quite the terror in their day. The people of Senoshesvas and Velstorbokkin used to make their children behave by telling them the flinik and the foodoo would snatch them in the night if they misbehaved.” Xthilleon chuckled.

“When was that?”

“Long… long time ago, back before I was employed at the Velstorbokkin court.”

“You was at the Velstorbokkin court?”

“Get back to work, you shiftless vagabond. You have me rattling on like a school girl just to avoid your chores.”

Morphenius jumped and began sweeping with such brush strokes as to raise a cloud of dust. Xthilleon read another scroll and looked up, ruminating over what he’d read. Morphenius noted the sorcerer’s pause.

“Them odd beasts… what was they like?” Xthilleon looked at the oaf. Morphenius felt a chill run down his spine at the cold gaze. He looked away and started dusting off ingredient jars on a shelf behind him.

“Mostly, they originated from insects. “Insects, yes… like the camel crickets I experimented with in the north. Insects grow, breed, and die fast, so I developed them faster than other creatures. They’re stupid, of course, no way to communicate with them, but they can be trained on an elementary level.”

“Camel crickets up north?”

“Never mind that.”

“But them flinik and foodoo, them things ain’t stupid like me. They hunts in packs and talks to each other from what I hears.”

“Yes, well, most of the creatures the sorcerer experimented with lacked intelligence and had to be driven with whips or lured with food to do the wizard’s will. Somehow, the flinik and the foodoo developed intelligence along with their extraordinary physical growth. They don’t have the ability to speak, but they do communicate… most likely through telepathy. I do know they communicate over long distances. When one creature spots men going through the pass, those monsters come suddenly in vast numbers to lie in wait for an opening to attack. It’s more than just food; they hate men, and wizards even worse.”

“Thought you said they was just bugs?”

“Never underestimate the enemy. That was the mistake the wizard that developed them made. He never saw the intelligence developing until it was too late. We must capture some of these things and see just what they are and how they might be of service to me.”

“You wants us to catch some of them bugs?” Morphenius asked. “Ain’t nobody ever caught one of them things that I’ve heard of.”

“You will catch them, several in fact. I must have specimens to evaluate, dissect, and determine what use they may be to me. I’ve no time to develop more of my own now.”

Morphenius started backing up. “How does you thinks we’z going to catch one?” Xthilleon’s sinister smirk warned the oaf not to press the issue.

*

Some days later, Xthilleon called for Morphenius, who’d been avoiding him. Though reluctant, the servant approached the sorcerer, hat in hand. “What must I do for you, master?”

“Go into Varnakak or canvas the farms nearby. Purchase a woodcutter’s cart and horse,” the sorcerer said. He tossed the oaf a small leather coin pouch. “Nothing new or fancy, the most basic, and weather worn like you. The cart must have high walls.”

The wizard’s somber face warned the oaf not to question the order. Morphenius bowed and, putting his moldy hat back on his head, he rushed out of the tower, much relieved to be away from it and his master. When he returned, Xthilleon instructed him how to dress in woodcutter’s rags and what to pack on the cart after installing a false bottom. The two set out for the forest just inside the mountains to the right of the Abysmal Pass. Riding along on the cart, Morphenius became agitated. He glanced left and right at the woods. They grew closer to the partly overgrown trail, seeming to hover over the cart and men. He flicked the reigns. The horse whinnied and flicked his tail but seemed reluctant to move faster.

“I think the horse is scared to go on deeper into these woods,” Morphenius said.

“You mean
you
are scared to go on, don’t you?”

“No master, but the horse is scared. He must knows danger is close by.”

“Well now, that’s just what we’re hoping for.”

“You wants them giant bugs to come at us?”

“Precisely, why else would we be dressed in these filthy rags and riding in this termite fodder?”

Morphenius flicked the reigns again but the horse stopped. It refused to go further.

“Get off the cart, take that ax, and chop down a tree,” Xthilleon said in a hushed tone.

Morphenius watched the sorcerer scanning the forest, looking for what he hoped they wouldn’t see. Pine scent and the cool woodland couldn’t dispel his fear. The oaf climbed down from the rickety, creaking cart and, with ax in hand, selected a tree not too large, and began chopping. The sound reverberated through the timberland, sending chills through the oaf. Each chop was a crisis for the oaf, fighting with himself to keep quiet, and yet he knew he had to chop down the tree. Xthilleon needed the telltale chopping noise to draw his victims. Morphenius hesitated after each chop, then scanned the forest for any sign of movement. The tree shook when the last wood cracked with a death-groan. The sacrifice toppled over, crashing through the forest limbs to a resounding, final thud. Hastily, Morphenius moved along the tree trunk, frantically chopping off limbs, knowing the trees death gasps were heard deep in the forest.