The Deathless Ones, page 20
Myra made no reply. Whatever Aster might say, she didn't think Syamin deserved to be forgiven. Whatever good he did, he did for his own ends. She didn’t feel grateful for that. But did he teach her to fight for his own ends? What had he to gain by teaching Mylwin, Edd, Kore, Fin, Reban, Alya, Prad, and all the others?
I don't care! She told herself defiantly. Perhaps he was amusing himself. She didn’t care. What she did care for was that he had deceived her. He could have defeated them and taken Rhenon for himself. There would have been honour in that, but what he did was cowardly, and even his good deeds were rendered dishonourable by that fact.
The True Story
The pool lay still, not even a ripple marring its surface. Madh could see the very bottom where smooth stones lined the ground. There were no visible creatures in it, nor any plants. He held out his hand to touch the water, when a voice from behind said sharply, “Don't!”
He turned his head to see Kal standing behind him. Kal had a frown on his face as he looked at Madh.
“What is it?” Madh waved his hand towards the water.
“It’s Jala's pet. Only she can touch it without killing it.”
“Pet?” Madh turned to look at the pool. “It is alive?”
Kal nodded. “Of course. Everything is alive here.”
"I didn't know," he said, and moved away from the pool.
"You are feeling bored here, I think."
Madh shrugged. "There isn't much to do here, and though I'd kept myself hidden, I'm not used to being idle."
Kal nodded. "Perhaps we could find something for you to do."
Madh chuckled. "What can I possibly do in the realm of the Elementals?"
"Learn magic perhaps?" Kal said. "You have the mark of the magician, have you not?"
Madh thought of the mark on his shoulder in the shape of a starburst. "Yes, I do."
"We can teach you magic then. You can learn the magic of the Elementals."
Madh frowned. "My master said my magical abilities were mediocre at best, and now you want to teach me yours?”
“Your master lied.” Kal said calmly. “You’re marked by Nadais. That already makes you more powerful than any human magician. The magic of the Elementals should also come naturally to you.”
“I would have thought you'd learned your lesson about trusting a human," Madh muttered.
"You're no ordinary human. You're more or less our brother."
"Then how about telling me the whole truth for once?" Madh asked.
"Are you accusing us of lying?"
"No, but you haven't told me everything either. I accept that Semil has grown ambitious now, but he isn't the only ambitious man to have lived in Terrin. No one has ever thought of enslaving the Elementals."
"There's always a first one."
"Agreed, but enslaving the Elementals isn’t something that occurs to anyone randomly. He has something against you. It’s not fair that that you expect me to help when you won't even tell me the whole story." Madh paused. "And how did this Semil come to know about us?"
"It wasn't Semil who discovered you. It was his magician. He cast a spell to discover someone powerful enough to survive being the focus of his spell. It found you. Not where you are, obviously, but the fact that you existed."
"I see." Madh said. "But you still haven't told me what Semil has against the Elementals."
"That is a complicated story," Kal said. "And it began as we already told you with Jiv granting Semil the touch of life."
"Why? Did Semil ask for it or something?"
"I don't think Semil was even aware it was given to him."
"I'm not sure I understand."
"Jiv... he got attached to Semil somehow. He granted him this gift without thought for the consequences."
"You mean like how Semil would turn out later?"
Kal shook his head. "Such things are always possible, but the real problem was Semil's destiny didn’t mean for him to have the length of life Jiv bestowed on him. Niya was furious; she wanted Jiv to take back his gift, but of course that wasn’t possible."
"You mean once it is given, there's nothing any of you can do?"
"Jiv couldn't take back his gift, but I could still have given Semil the touch of death at the time destined for him."
"I am assuming you didn't."
"That time has not yet come, but yes, I did refuse."
"And now?"
"I still will not insult my brother by nullifying his gift."
"But Niya is your sister, isn't she? Wasn't it an insult to her, what the two of you did?"
"Yes, but..." He sighed. "We were bitter towards her, so we were not concerned. The problem was, destiny doesn’t like being tampered with. This one anomaly could have destroyed Terrin if something wasn’t done to correct it."
"Couldn't it have been corrected if you just decided to give him the touch of death?"
"If it would have, then I wouldn't have hesitated to wound Jiv, but unfortunately, it wasn't that simple."
"Then?"
"Niya approached Nadais. He told her that the only way to correct destiny was to create a human who will not be bound by destiny and, to balance the life given, another life would need to be taken before its time."
"And?"
"None of the Elementals can choose whose life was to be taken. A human had to decide, and it had to be someone close to Semil."
"So who did you approach?"
"Niya approached Aster of Mirrel, who was Semil's teacher, and also a Disciple of Nadais."
"Whom did he choose?"
"He chose some insignificant mortal boy of no moment."
"So, did you kill him?" Madh felt repulsed and also a pang of sympathy for the nameless child who was caught up in matters so beyond him, he had no idea they were happening.
"No," Kal shook his head. "Semil's mother was a patient of Aster. She had been suffering from a lingering illness that left her in great pain. The progress of the illness couldn’t be halted, and the more it progressed, the greater was her pain. She was in so much pain that she kept begging Aster to give her something to end her life. Semil had just turned sixteen, and was old enough to take charge of his father's lands. She felt there was no need for her to live any longer, especially considering how much pain she was in. At the last moment, Aster changed his choice, and chose Semil's mother instead of the boy."
"So, you killed her." Madh didn’t really think he wanted to listen further, but a morbid curiosity made him want to know more.
Kal nodded. "It was a release for her, but Semil didn’t see it that way." He sounded surprised and Madh suppressed a sigh.
"How did he find out?" he asked instead.
"He saw us, the night his mother died. Niya and I were in her room."
"Is it possible to see the Elementals that easily?" Madh demanded.
"Not usually, but Semil had been touched by Jiv, and we weren’t expecting to be spied on."
"So, a combination of circumstances," Madh shook his head. "You do know that there’s justification on Semil’s part. Anyone would want revenge.”
Kal looked surprised. “Revenge for releasing his mother from pain?”
Madh sighed. “I can’t explain it. Just trust me when I say that no human would ever forgive Aster or you. Perhaps the boy might have been a better choice."
"Perhaps. Destinies are hidden from us, so we cannot say if his death would have made any difference. We cannot know if his survival caused any impact either."
"Is he still alive, then?" Madh was curious.
"Yes. He's now a warlord named Syamin, one of Semil's antagonists in the war."
Preparations for War
The armies that marched on Mirrel were converging on it in separate divisions. The division at the head with Semil rode straight to Mirrel with very few stops. The rendezvous point for the various divisions was Helot, a small hilly area, that lay west of Mirrel. It lay near the Helot mountains, which provided ample places for hiding an ambush. Though the easy route for the armies were through Aadron's lands, Semil knew that such a move might cost him. Aadron would most certainly consider it a declaration of war, and he could ill afford a confrontation with Aadron at this juncture. Once he had defeated Syamin, he could turn his attention to Aadron, but until then he had to be careful. His armies were taking the longer route, bypassing Aadron's lands, and moving through Myra's. Most of Myra's forces were congregated in and around Rhenon and Sarshap, so as long as they avoided those two areas, they could move undetected. Had he still held Sylven, he could have cut across the Ryven and reached Lykos, but there was no use worrying about it now.
It was Semil's division that reached Helot first, but he had anticipated this. He sent scouts to the outlying villages with specific instructions and waited for his armies to arrive. The scouts would not return for a few days. Semil spent the days training with his men and making plans. He had no doubts as to his success. His armies were well hidden from any enemy scouts. The rest of his armies arrived one by one. They had to be camouflaged, and hidden, and the hills provided good cover. His scouts had begun to return too. Once all his armies had joined him, and the last of his scouts had returned, Semil called a meeting of his captains.
The first report he demanded was from the scout he had sent to Mirrel. The report reassured him. Syamin was not yet aware of his movements. There was no unusual activity in Mirrel. Next, he turned to the scouts he had sent to the villages. Almost all their reports were identical. The villages were small, with populations ranging from twenty to fifty. There were no soldiers in any of the villages. The villagers themselves were peaceful, and not trained in arms. Most were people from other parts of the Empire who had fled from the war at various times and had settled down there. Syamin had allowed them to settle in his lands and though he was their Lord, he never sent his armies to them unless they asked for it. The villages handled their own affairs, and no representative of Mirrel was there to oversee their affairs.
"We'll attack those villages," Semil said. "How many are there in all?"
"Six, my lord." One of the scouts replied.
Semil dismissed the scouts and turned to his captains. "We'll attack the villages," He repeated.
"But why, my Lord?" One of his captains, Daton, asked.
"To draw out Syamin's armies," Semil replied. "Those villages are ill defended and ill protected. We'll send fifty men each to each of those villages. Tell them to make certain they are seen by the villagers. Ask them to carry my banner prominently. I want those villagers to think that I'm attacking them."
"But won't they send word to Syamin?" Rigan, another of the captains asked.
"Of course. That's what I want. The men we send shall be ordered not to attack the messenger who'll be sent to Syamin. Some token harassment is to be made, but make certain he or she gets away unhurt."
"But if Syamin sends his armies..." Fropar, another Captain said. "Won't that sort of defeat the purpose?"
Semil shook his head. "I want him to send his armies. While our men are going to the villages, the rest of our army is to be divided in two. One division shall remain here. The other shall move to Mirrel, bypassing all the villages. Once Syamin's armies come to the succour of the villagers, our men who have gone to attack them, are to retreat here. Syamin's men shall pursue them, but we shall be ready for him. In the meantime, our other division will be at Mirrel, and Syamin won't have enough men to defend the city. His forces will be spread too thin if he is to defend the villages."
"But if he learns there are only fifty men attacking the village, why should he send a large army to deal with them?" Tynaw, another Captain asked.
"How will he know?" Semil asked. "Villagers are prone to exaggeration as it is, and once they are scared, it'll be worse. They’ll all be ready to swear that a large army is attacking. Even if Syamin allows for some exaggeration, he has no way of knowing the actual numbers, and he cannot take a chance by sending too small a force."
"And the villages? Are we to leave them intact?"
Semil's face hardened. "No. Tell our men to burn them as they retreat, but the people are to be left unharmed unless they resist. Women and children are not to be harmed, and if any such news reaches me, I’m personally going to flay the person responsible as well as the leader of the group and the captain. We have to be focussed on ensuring Syamin's forces are led into an ambush here. Daton, you shall lead the division left here. I shall lead the forces which will be attacking Mirrel."
"Are all the villages to be attacked simultaneously?" Daton asked.
"As far as possible, it is better to co-ordinate the attacks thus. That'll ensure that most of the messengers from the villages shall reach Syamin at the same time. They will all be panicking and he might not be able to put much thought into strategies, other than to send aid to them immediately."
"What if some of the other warlords come to Syamin's aid?" Asked Tynaw.
Semil shook his head decisively. "Who? Our spies would have brought word of an alliance if there was one. If all goes well, I’ve expectations that Myra's forces will be attacking Mirrel too, and once Syamin is defeated and destroyed, we can turn to Aadron."
"And Myra?"
"If all goes well, Myra need not be a problem at all." Semil said, not elaborating. There was no need for his men to know anything more than was necessary. That way, they couldn’t tell his plans to anyone should they feel tempted. He hoped Amrose was inside Mirrel, as they had planned and that Marian had recovered sufficiently to be of use to him.
All his pieces were in place. Amrose was the only doubtful piece, but if Semil knew his magician, he would find a way. Once he had Mirrel, it was only a matter of time before his revenge would be complete.
The Thief
Layla was up early. She checked on the healer—Sadjah—but she was in no condition to get up. Layla couldn’t tell what her illness was. She appeared to be in a great deal of pain, but what caused it, Layla couldn’t tell. The two girls were still asleep, and Layla stood by the beds, watching them sleep. The younger one was sucking her thumb. She lay half in and half out of the blanket. The older one was curled into a foetal position, and the bedclothes were all tangled about her. Layla didn’t touch them for fear they might wake.
She went to the kitchen and busied herself in making breakfast. She hoped none of the villagers would be up and that they wouldn't notice the smoke from the chimney. If they did and came calling, she would just need to tell some lie. She decided to heat some water too. When the children woke, she would give them a bath. She didn't think they had a bath any time recently. It might also be good to check if there was a potion for pain available. Sadjah might need more. She might also need a stronger potion than the one she was using. She thought of the impulse she felt to confide in Sadjah, to tell her about the Sisterhood, to seek her help if required. She had suppressed it, but it couldn’t be forgotten.
Layla wondered if she could stay here for a while. She had to take the girls to Ehryut, where the Sisterhood had a temporary base. Ehryut was a coastal village. One had to cross Mirrel and take the long road around the mountain. She supposed one could climb the mountain too, but none had ever attempted it. Most people called Mirrel the edge of the known world, but those who had studied the lore of the ancients knew that Ehryut was the edge of the known world with the ocean of Irypert lying beyond. It was said that the ocean formed part of the vast Ocean of Shanta that surrounded all the land masses of Terrin, and that all the oceans and seas of Terrin were formed from it. One who knew how to navigate the Shanta, could go anywhere in Terrin.
When Layla had set out from Hardin, she had been told by Shira to go to Ehryut. She had found the girls on the way. She felt certain she would find more. Mirrel and its outskirts were places where the slavers weren’t active, and even the war seemed to have left Ceatin untouched on the most part.
There weren't many orphans, and the ones who were there hid themselves away, but Layla knew how to find those. Hardin had been her home for a while now, and she hadn't wanted to leave it, but she knew she had to. Reviving the Sisterhood was the most important thing. She couldn’t afford any distractions. Nor could she afford to get attached to any places or persons. Not until their goals were achieved. But here she was, doing the very thing she was determined not to do.
The village was still quiet when she went out through the back door to the shed where her horse was. It raised its head to look at her as she went inside. The shed was warm and sheltered, and had the children not been hungry, they might have spent the night in it, and been on their way by now. The children were hungry, and she had broken into the house, and now, she could not really leave Sadjah while the woman was obviously unwell. One of the tenets of the Sisterhood that Layla had completely taken to heart was that one never left a woman in need. Whether she asked for it or not was irrelevant.
The Sisterhood did have a prejudiced view of men. Layla knew that it was based on the experiences of those that lived over a hundred years ago, and that it was based on their limited knowledge. In those days, they had considered the Empire to be the entirety of Terrin. Now they knew that the Empire was only a small part of Terrin and that none of them could even hope to know how the people in other lands lived.
For all their bias and ignorance, there was some accuracy in the sisterhood's view of men, but Layla knew that their generalizations were not always true. Though women were not always treated equally, they were not always oppressed either, not if they were free. Once they came of age, they were free to pursue any profession of their choice. Of course, the war had made all that pointless, since soldiers could march into a town at any time and for them it didn’t matter if a woman was free or not. What really bothered Layla that even the women soldiers never made an attempt to stop their male colleagues.
Then there were men like Aadron who saw to it that his soldiers behaved well towards women. She had heard that Syamin was the same, and Semil too had been known to punish his soldiers if it came to his notice that his soldiers were ill-treating women. For all that, Semil's soldiers were often the worst offenders.
