To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) (55 page)

Van Kestrel listened blank-faced and then his eyes went from his son to Daniel. “How do I know you are not exercising mind control over my son? It is possible you instructed him to tell me these things in order to weaken my alliance with Van Joppa.”

The man was suspicious of the story and Daniel figured the rebellious lord had good reason to be, given the circumstances. “While I am not inclined to refuse the application of someone as gifted and talented as your son, his staying here for a reasonable amount of time for you to become reacquainted would not be objectionable. I and my staff will depart and you and Lyal can discuss whatever enters your hearts without any interference from me. You can determine for yourself the independence of his mind and actions. Lyal, when you are ready to return, come out to the lake and announce you want to join the Sentinels. Accomplished Duadams will come and get you,” he replied, along with hinting about how closely monitored the estate is and how someone from the Atlantan Guild can arrive anytime, at will, and unobstructed.

“You would really leave me here?” Lyal asked, apparently stunned by the offer.

“You would really leave him here?” Lord Van Kestrel asked, and both raised their eyebrows in exactly the same expression of surprise.

Daniel almost shrugged his shoulders but suppressed the urge and answered, “Yes, if doing so will prove I am not exerting control over Lyal’s mind. Frankly, I do not have the inclination or time to stand around trying to convince you, Lord Van Kestrel, of my intentions. What the world has been feeling for the better part of a year are the tremors of the larger war that is about to erupt. Speaking of tremors, the harmonic waves we all sensed this morning are the result of the thirty first consecutive occurrence of the spell from Mount Filia, which means Tarin Conn only needs to remove five more gems from his body in order to be free to teleport. At that instant the only thing restraining him will be my spell. We are now at the point where what Silvia stated is true, join, get out of the way, or face the destructive consequences. This is not just your choice alone, it is the decision everyone must make. I will add this; those who choose to step aside will deserve the fate that befalls them should Tarin Conn prevail. I am giving you information, not a recruitment speech. Conductor Cresh has seen Van Joppa in the company of Serpents. The southern lord has not been deceived, but is a knowing and willing ally of Tarin Conn and together they are behind the snatchings, lost ships at sea, and the civil war that has already cost Taracopa the region east of the Aczen River.”

“Are you saying King Bolton is also an ally of the Serpents?” Van Kestrel asked in a skeptical tone.

Daniel shook his head sadly. “No, he is a dupe of Efferin Tames and is using me and the Grand Maestro as an excuse to further his own ambitions. I have no standing on which to stop him, not as a Royal Knight of Ducaun, the Maestro of the Atlantan Guild, or as the Chosen Vessel. Where the security of Ducaun is involved, I have a responsibility to step in; the same is true with regard to the security of my association. In the War of the Champions, my duty is to oppose Tarin Conn and his allies wherever they are. Aczencopa and Cenkataar both enjoy good relations with Aakadon, a thing I do not, and they all will eventually have to make the same choice you do. I will not move against them unless they choose poorly.”

Van Kestrel’s eyes focused on his sleeping people and then settled back on Daniel. “You are about as subtle as a blacksmith’s hammer. Whether or not I believe Van Joppa is my true enemy and is in league with the Serpents, you do, and consider me fully informed.” He paused, taking a few moments to look at his son and then focused back on Daniel. “You will not launch your considerable resources at the Aczencopans because the invasion is a matter between them and Taracopa and the Serpent Guild is not involved. You have brought me much to consider, such as your being able to appear at will deep within my defensive line and kill every one of us as quickly as Accomplished Tyron put my staff asleep, and at the same time have restored my son to me. Lyal has clearly made his choice and it is now my turn to decide. I can be your enemy or friend, but I cannot be both.”

“Now you have an idea of why he established the Department of Emissaries. The art of diplomacy is not one of his talents,” Samuel stated, apparently feeling the need to share that information. It was something Simon would have said if the former Teki had not beaten him to it. “However, you now know our position and we have only been here a quarter of a mark. His way saves so much time.” It was a back handed compliment but a compliment none the less.

“Lyal is my heir. I cannot condone him being in subjection to anyone for life and especially not a foreign Lord of the Land who might then try to lay claim on his inheritance.” Van Kestrel’s concern was completely valid.

Daniel fixed his eyes on the applicant. “If you become one of the Sentinels the service time required will be to the end of the War of the Champions, after that you and any other man or woman in my muster can retire with honors. You, as is the case with the people now serving me, will also be given multiple opportunities to visit your family.”

When Lyal nodded his understanding, his father seemed to accept the decision, but was unlikely to be rushed into changing sides. “I have an army along the Tollus River and one hundred ten spans to the north, all currently engaged in battle with Van Efery’s army. If I change sides now, I will be attacked by the King’s army and Van Joppa’s. If I could be absolutely sure Cyrus is truly responsible for Lyal’s abduction I would turn my army against his and make him pay dearly for his audacity,” Van Kestrel said, taking a position that was not surprising.

Daniel knew it would come to this and was ready for it. “Conductor Cresh can take you to Joppa where proof of the alliance can be seen with your own eyes. After that, we can make a quick trip to Tara. As Samuel pointed out, I do have a Department of Emissaries and a few of its members are in your nation’s capital working with Queen Cleona’s ambassador with the goal of mending the current rift between you and Van Efery. You know far better than I how difficult and delicate the endeavor is, but the ground work has been laid, and the possibility of you and the King joining forces against Van Joppa exists.”

Van Kestrel stroked his beard while taking the time to think over his options and after about a tenth of a mark brought his hand to rest on the table. “It is agreed, Lyal can serve for the duration, provided he visits here on a semi-regular basis, and I will go to Tara with you after Conductor Cresh has proven your allegations to my satisfaction. I want my personal bodyguards, those four men on the floor over there, to come with me on both trips.”

Daniel glanced at the sleeping men, each having a long knife on one hip and a sword on the other. Three of the personal security team members were bulky and one was thin and wiry. “Done, Sam, get him to Joppa, Simon, get ready to transport us to my meeting, Lyal, visit your mother while we are gone, and Carlos don’t forget to wake the staff. Lord Van Kestrel, I will be back in a mark and a half from now, and then we can go to Tara.”

“You are assuming the proof will be convincing,” the lord said with a twisted smile.

Daniel knew the risks involved when assumptions are taken as facts, yet felt confident nonetheless. “You will be traveling with Samuel and so I know only a person who is deaf, dumb, blind, and stupid could fail to believe the truth when presented; words that definitely do not describe you. You were misled by someone thought to be trustworthy, it has happened to me, and yet when we learn the truth, the necessary adjustments, however painful, are made.” 

Van Kestrel nodded, the body guards were awakened, brought up to date on what their lord expected of them, and then Samuel vanished with them in a bright flash and bang.

“Buck, you are welcome to come with us to the meeting,” Daniel invited.

The former mountaineer had been staring at a white swan out on the lake but refocused his attention after hearing his name. “I haven’t seen a manta yet and would be mighty obliged if you allow me to now.”

Daniel looked to his Chief Aid. “If you begin summing potential now, we might just make the meeting on time.”

Three heart beats later he and his entourage, plus Buck, minus Sam and Lyal, all arrived within a cavernous room with a huge dome extending out from an underwater cliff.

The first thing Daniel noticed were schools of fish, sharks, and other assorted aquatic creatures swimming in the waters outside the diamond dome. Among the inhabitants of the underwater realm were twenty-two Atlantan manta rays and the relatively smaller natural creatures after which the submersibles were named. Several of the vessels disappeared beneath the dome, under which was the broad underwater entrance into the facility, going by the model he examined before approving the project.

“This is the observation room,” Simon began the tour by stating the obvious. “If you look out and up toward the surface, the bottoms of eight vessels are in slips at the dock. Those are Wager-class patrol boats provided by Design and Development for this facility. Each boat has a crew consisting of twenty Sentinels and an Accomplished. It was not difficult to get one hundred sixty volunteers.”

“Why is that?” Buck inquired while turning toward the Chief Aid.

“I bet they wanted boats of their own. The crews of the other Wager-class vessels consist of an Accomplished and members of the Benhannon Naval Guard and only Aakacarns serve on the mantas.” Carlos threw his thought out for consideration.

Simon focused on the Three-bolt Accomplished. “If we were actually wagering and had I accepted, you would be the winner. Commander Herling wants ten more, but it will be days yet before that happens. The Sentinels here are still in training and ten more will take that much longer for us to have eighteen combat ready crews. Chas is working with Gina Dukane and Captain Van Etter, who is instructing them in the art of naval warfare. The battles in the Taltin Sea are going to become more intense and will occupy our current fleet of boats for quite some time. The new fleet will be our surface assault force in the Channel and on the oceans while the mantas will primarily be on search and destroy missions.”

The only chairs in the observation room were along the walls and near the three entrances, which appeared to be rectangular frames. The entire ceiling glowed with a soft white light rather than being illuminated with spheres as was the case at the other Atlantan Guild facilities. The walls and floors were deep blue like the sea.

No one else was in the observation area, likely because they had better things to do than stand around chatting. Daniel knew the third frame to the right should lead to the lift, up three levels to the surface or all the way down to level ten. The center and left should lead to the sleeping quarters. He went to the right with Silvia and David matching him step for step and Sero right behind them. Simon, Buck, and Carlos continued their conversation and did not seem to notice the departures until Daniel was half way to the door. He glanced back. “The meeting is this way.”

The three Accomplisheds jogged over and caught up to him just as he reached the entrance. Simon touched the amethyst to the right and a seam appeared and split open the door, which retracted into the walls. Daniel allowed his Chief Aid to guide them down the corridor. The turquoise floor had not a single smudge and the pearl-like walls seemed as pure and genuine as if they had been grown inside an oyster. They walked beyond eight frames, “Those open to hallways,” the Battencayan-born Accomplished mentioned in passing.

The frame through which they had entered suddenly closed and fifty paces ahead was another frame, which appeared to be a dead end. The sandy-haired Accomplished went and touched the amethyst on the right and the door split open and retracted into the walls, revealing a lift similar to those found in Aakadon. He guided everyone into the small chamber and touched a pad on the left wall. Ten gems contained the spells to move the platform up or down to a specific level. They were on the fourth so he touched the fifth, the doors closed and they descended to the desired location. “Jerremy DeSuan is responsible for the liberal use of CPAs. Having the door-open and levitation spells set in crescendo-powered amulets saves time,” the Chief Aid explained, perhaps for Buck’s sake, otherwise it would be silly explaining the benefit of the Aakacarn devices to the Accomplished who originally conceptualized the innovations.

Joel met them as the doors opened. The medallion on his chest depicted a manta with an E just left of the fin on one side and an R just to the right of the other fin. Every member of the Department of Education and Research was proud of the submersible vehicle and chose that to represent them. “Welcome, Maestro, to Starling Cove. Please come this way to see the lagoon.”

Daniel and his entourage stepped out of the lift and into an area larger than the observation room had been. A pool, two hundred paces across and one thousand five hundred paces wide took up most of the area and divided into four sections. Teams of Accomplisheds walked to and from their manta rays which were floating on the surface against the pool’s edge. A ray came to the surface on the far left side of the lagoon, the hatch opened and the crew disembarked.

“We access the ocean from here. Twenty mantas make up a squad and as you can see each has been assigned a section and is lined up against this side of the lagoon. There are four squads on this level and on the two below us. All three levels have a lagoon like this,” Joel said while walking toward the first section where Manta Two floated at the surface.

Daniel had been briefed on the numbers, but a question arose in his mind. “How quickly can you launch all two hundred forty rays?”

“Do you see those circles on the walls?” Joel asked while waving his hand in the direction indicated.

Daniel had noticed the circular pattern, sixty on the wall facing four specific sections of the lagoon. “Yes,” he replied.

Joel placed an amulet against his forehead and before he put it back into his pocket, two holes opened up and out popped a ramp and moments later two men slid down. They sprang to their feet and ran to Manta Two.

“These are the other members of Manta Two and as you can see, we can get from our rooms to the vessel in less than one sixtieth of a mark,” the Researcher proudly announced.

Sorel Benrider had a long chin and close set eyes, yet possessed an open and honest manner that encouraged people to trust him. He joined the guild at the same time as Buck, and Daniel was pleased to see a carrier pigeon on his medallion and a Communication Department array on his head. The other crew member of Manta Two was Hosea Shiloh, dark of eye and hair, a Three-bolt Accomplished of the Defense Department, who had been helpful in the expelling of the Cenkataaran legions from Ducaun. The oval of his medallion depicted a sword with a lightning bolt blade.

“Glad I am to see you again, Maestro, and you too Buck,” Sorel said, and gave the traditional nod of respect, which Daniel returned.

“As am I,” Hosea added his welcome.

“Good to see you too, Sorel. I see some empty sections,” Buck noted, and so had Daniel.

Joel glanced where the ISIG member was pointing. “Two squads are patrolling under the Serinian Channel, two more are off the coast of Joppa, and one off the coast of Pentrosa. Ten of the one hundred fifty mantas in existence are currently stationed at the lowest level of the Benhannon Naval Facility where a much smaller subterranean lagoon has been created with access below the docks.”

Buck nodded his head, quietly acknowledging the explanation. Being a member of the ISIG he undoubtedly knew about the ten mantas and where they were currently based, especially since one of the ten is Daniel’s Manta One. Sam’s people made it a point to know everything about their Maestro.

Sorel pointed up at the ceiling. “Maestro, you really should go up and see the surface facility. It looks like an elongated brain coral only much larger, being twenty cubits high and five hundred paces in in diameter.”

Even though the noon mark was approaching, Daniel still had time to see the facility before traveling back to Taracopa. “I have seen the model and imagine the actual structure is even more impressive.”

Joel motioned towards the lift. “We can go now if you wish.”

Daniel nodded and followed the Two-bolt in the direction indicated. Half way to the rectangular frame, harmonic waves rippled through the land from the north. These were not as powerful as the regular morning event, yet still strong enough to be felt by every living creature in the world. “Tarin Conn is still shielded,” Daniel announced automatically.

“The waves are emanating from Filia,” Joel confirmed, no doubt receiving confirmation from one of his aquatic creatures.

Tarin Conn could be the source or Accomplisheds within the mountain could be conducting a spell in concert, either way the occurrence represented a shift in the pattern and therefore needed to be investigated. The creatures in Daniel’s mind were all trying to show him their view points and he had no choice but to shut the entreaties into those compartments Simon had spoken of. It was the only way to concentrate and focus amid the chaos. The reason for the spell would be searched out, Daniel felt confident.

Sorel’s eyes widened. “Maestro, I just received word from Accomplished Allison, the enemy fleet in the Channel is moving into attack position. Wait, Accomplished Wallen is telling me, the armada off Joppa is heading north towards the Lobenian southern coast.”

“Maestro, General Kall and his men are mobilizing. I think the harmonics might be the signal the enemy forces have been waiting for,” Simon informed him grimly.

“Maestro,” Daria’s voice came through the array on Daniel’s head. “The Pentrosans are fully engaging the Ducaunan Royal Cavalry all along the border and the fight is heating up again in the Taltin Sea.”

Just about everything Daniel had dreaded could happen seemed to be happening all at once, bringing with them a high tide of anxiety that threatened to drown him. He took a deep, calming, breath. “Acknowledged, inform the Queen, and all Accomplisheds serving Lords, Generals, and Knights throughout the realm. Dispatch the nine mantas at the Benhannon Naval facility to the sea.”

“It will be as you say,” Daria replied along with a strong sense of determination.

“Daniel,” Sherree’s voice came into his head. “Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild are teleporting into the region around the Benhannon Northland Holding. Lieutenant Keenan and the Benhannon Guard have taken up defensive positions. I will soon convey there. Chas and I are going on the offensive along with five thousand Sentinels.”

The load just gets heavier and heavier.
Daniel did not want to think of what more could go wrong, better to concentrate on what needed to go right. “Attack the Serpents, I will be there shortly.”

Joel shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. “According to the orcas I have in the waters off eastern Taracopa, half the fleet of the enemy is breaking off and heading east toward Aczencopa. That part of the flotilla has Ecoppian troop carriers, Demfilian modified freighters, Pentrosan light cruisers, and Battencayan destroyers.”

Troop carriers meant Ecoppian marines would be swarming the coastal cities of Aczencopa and the Battencayan destroyers were likely to have Serpents aboard. A gong sounded, the circles in the walls opened, and Accomplisheds slid from the shafts and ran to their mantas. Daniel made a hard decision. “Joel, attack plan Alpha, and hit them hard.”

Joel stood blinking as if he did not understand the order. “But that does not include the ships about to assail the Aczencopan coast.”

Daniel knew full well what attack plan Alpha did and did not include. “We will have our hands full guarding the Lobenian coast and the Channel. King Bolton chose to throw the full weight of his military might into annexing Taracopian territory and has left his southern coast undefended. If he survives his poor choice, we may be able to help him in the future, but for now we fight for Ducaun and Lobenia.” 

The crew of Manta Two boarded their vessel without further delay and Daniel watched as each ray dived under the water until the lagoon was empty. Some of them will be dispersing to the west coast and others to defend the southern, but all of them would soon be engaging in battle. The eight patrol boats remained in their slips. The crews were not ready for combat.

“Just under a sixtieth of a mark,” Simon confirmed how long it took for all of the mantas to be launched.

Daniel concentrated on the gem in the array containing Sam’s energy. “Turn over Lord Van Kestrel to Conductor Kleopis; his emissaries can work on the reunification of Van Kestrel to Van Efery and make sure they pick up Lyal. You concentrate on internal security.” It was a necessary change of plans.

“It will be as you say. Battencayan solders backed by Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild are advancing across Ducaun’s western border. I and my teams will be assisting the Royal Cavalry and regional lords,” Samuel sent back along with a sense of tight focus and urgency.

Buck vanished in a flash bang, evidently conveying to his assigned team within the ISIG.

“Maestro, we are engaging in battle with the Serpents allied to General Kall,” Jeremiah Lassiter sent. “Circles of one hundred are teleporting in, reinforcing their numbers.” The words were transmitted in an even tone, but the emotion behind them revealed a strong sense of highly disciplined urgency.

In addition to everything else that was happening, this news was not surprising, added a great deal to the load, but certainly not surprising. “Acknowledged,” Daniel sent, and then heard from the First Accomplished,

“Maestro, I and the Accomplisheds with me, along with three thousand Sentinels are going to assist Jeremiah and those with him.” Her sending came with a sense of a bolt ready to be launched.